Lead-Free Lucky Dog Figurines Get the Thumbs Up from Toxics Watch Group
With lead content exceeding the regulatory limit.
The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit
watch group on toxic chemicals, lauded local craft makers for the apparent shift
to lead-free paints for decorating dog-inspired figurines in celebration of the
Chinese New Year of the Earth Dog.
According to the group’s latest
screening of painted lucky dog figurines using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, eight of
the 12 samples bought from street
vendors in Quiapo, Manila for P25 to P250 each were found to contain no
detectable lead.
The other four samples had lead levels ranging from 205, 395, 795 and 6,578 parts
per million (ppm) exceeding the regulatory limit of 90 ppm for lead in paint.
“While
not all samples were negative for lead, we recognize the obvious switch to
lead-free decorative paints by local craft makers, many of which are small-sized
enterprises. This is a good indicator of
the efforts by commercial paint consumers to fit with the nation’s progressive shift
to paints without added lead,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste
Coalition.
“We hope that by 2019, the year of the Earth Pig, all lucky pig figurines on
sale will be solely decorated with lead-free paints,” he added.
In 2016, the year of the Fire Monkey, lead content up to 7,800 ppm was detected
in brightly colored lucky monkey
figurines, while in 2017, the year of the Fire Rooster, lead up to 5,032 ppm was
detected in lucky rooster figurines.
Lead, a chemical that is harmful to human health, especially to the brain and
the central nervous system, is considered one of the “ten chemicals of major
public health concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Studies have shown that lead exposure at an early age can result to reduced
intelligence, speech and language difficulties, hearing loss, decreased bone
and muscle growth, increased blood pressure, kidney damage and behavioral
problems, including aggression and violence.
Lead
exposure among adults can bring about miscarriage in women, reduced sperm count
in men, hypertension and other health problems.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order
2013-24, or the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds, directed
the phase out of lead-containing architectural, household and decorative paints
effective December 31, 2016 after a three-year phase-out period.
“To facilitate informed consumer choice, we suggest that craft makers duly
label their products,” Dizon suggested.
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