What Not to Give This Christmas: Christmas-Themed Ceramic Mugs
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26 November 2024, Quezon City. For its second “What not to give this Christmas” series of product safety alerts, the EcoWaste Coalition drew attention to colorful coffee mugs featuring popular symbols of the festive season.
Better watch out, as Santa Claus would say, for hazardous chemicals lurking in some Christmas-themed mugs sold cheaply for as low as less than P50, making them an inexpensive gift option.
Toxic lead was detected in 18 out of 19 mugs purchased from retailers in Binondo, Quiapo, and Santa Mesa, Manila City and Monumento, Caloocan City. Using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device to check the items for chemicals of concern, the group detected a combo of lead, cadmium and arsenic in most of the samples.
The lead on the mugs, in particular, could be attributed to the use of leaded ceramic glazes and/or leaded paints on the surface decorations.
A mug with Christmas bulbs, Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer) and the phrase “Feliz Navidad” design had the highest lead level detected at 16,320 parts per million (ppm). Cadmium at 693 ppm and arsenic at 2,207 ppm were likewise detected (both cadmium and arsenic are carcinogenic to humans).
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “lead may be present in the glazes or decorations covering the surface of some traditional pottery. If the pottery is not manufactured properly, this lead can leach into food and drink that is prepared, stored, or served in the dishes.”
Scientific studies have linked lead exposure to serious health problems, including damage to the brain and nervous system, developmental delays, learning disabilities, decreased intelligence, behavioral problems, high blood pressure, and reproductive issues for women and men, the EcoWaste Coalition said.
If you intend to give a mug with or without Christmas symbols this gift-giving season, the EcoWaste Coalition advises you to:
- Ask for information from the seller if the product is properly manufactured and tested prior to sale.
- If the information is not available, opt for a plain white mug as a precaution.
- Consider other gift ideas if it cannot be ascertained that the mug is food-safe.
As Christmas shopping gains steam, the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized the importance of ensuring consumer access to products such as toys and non-toy gift items like mugs that are adequately labeled, correctly priced and duly tested safe from harmful chemicals and other hazards.
Reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/lead-
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