Toxics Watch Group Cites FDA for Banning Dangerous School Supplies
The EcoWaste Coalition, a
non-profit group promoting chemical safety, gave the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) a thumbs up for the latter’s action to rid the market of
toxic school supplies.
The group cited the series of advisories issued by the FDA against the purchase
and use of art materials laden with dangerous chemicals such as mercury, lead
and cadmium.
At the same time, the group urged the agency to issue notice of violation
against erring stores after being able to purchase some of the banned products
from legitimate retail establishments notwithstanding the public health
warnings issued by the FDA.
In test buys conducted on January 28 and 29, 2018, the EcoWaste Coalition
managed to procure banned Artex, MPC Classique and Xiao Yiren water color sets,
Fairyland crayons, and Leeho glitter fabric paint pen from dealers of
school supplies in Divisoria, Quiapo and Sampaloc, Manila.
“The public health warnings issued by the FDA on school supplies laced with
hazardous substances above permissible levels are crucial tools that can inform
and guide consumers in making sound and safe buying decisions,” stated Thony
Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.
“FDA’s action to take lead-containing art materials off store shelves, in
particular, promotes industry compliance to DENR’s Chemical Control Order for
Lead and Lead Compounds, which prohibits lead in the production of school
supplies,” he pointed out.
Since 2014, the FDA has banned three brands of water colors, two brands of
crayons, a brand of pencil and a brand of fabric paint pen, some of which are
marked with the “non-toxic” claim on the packaging.
Last week on January 24, the FDA banned “12 in 1 Pencil,” “Fairyland 16 Crayons,”
and “Leeho Glitter Fabric Paint Pens” for containing unacceptable levels of
heavy metals, including cadmium, lead and mercury.
Last year, the FDA banned “MPC Classique Water Colors,” “Xiao Yiren Water
Colors” and “Ultra Colours Jumbo Crayons” after laboratory analyses confirmed
lead content above the maximum allowable limit of 90 ppm.
In 2014, the FDA, after being alerted by the EcoWaste Coalition, banned “Artex
Fine Water Colors” for containing lead up to 5,089 ppm.
According to Dizon, “the
advisories are extremely useful as the names of the products that have been
verified to contain violative levels of prohibited or restricted chemical
substances are specifically named with matching photographs.”
“The advisories provide helpful information about the health effects of the
chemical substances in question and the consequences of exposure,” he added.
“The advisories also direct commercial establishments not to distribute the
non-compliant products, and request local government units and law enforcement
agencies to ensure that such products are not sold in their areas of
jurisdiction,” he said.
To ensure the advisories
are strictly enforced and that the banned products are duly withdrawn from the
market, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the FDA go after non-compliant wholesale
and retail stores.
The group also exhorted
local government and police authorities, consumer protection groups and other
sectors to actively back FDA's efforts to crack down on violators.
-end-
Reference:
http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories-2/cosmetic-2/466281-fda-advisory-2017-272
http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories-2/cosmetic-2/458304-fda-advisory-no-2017-260
http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories-2/cosmetic-2/458304-fda-advisory-no-2017-260
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