Group asks public to shun 'toxic' Valentine’s Day gift items
Monday, February 13, 2012
SOME Valentine's Day gift items are toxic to health and not romantic at all, an environmental watchdog said on Monday.
On the eve of the anticipated event, the EcoWaste Coalition said they have discovered traces of heavy metals in 13 out of 20 products bought from formal and informal retailers in Binondo, Divisoria, Quiapo and Sta. Cruz in Manila.
These items were purchased on February 10 to 12 and screened for cadmium, lead and other heavy metals on February 13 using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer.
Among the product samples were stuffed hearts, puffy toy gifts, mugs, panty rose and other Valentine’s Days knick-knacks.
Cadmium and lead, two of the “Ten Chemicals of Major Public Health Concern” as per the World Health Organization (WHO), were detected in five samples.
According to the WHO, cadmium is classified as carcinogen and its effects can be seen on the kidney, the skeletal and the respiratory systems while lead is a toxic that affects multiple body systems, including the neurologic, hematologic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal systems.
Levels detected ranged from 1,248 parts per million (ppm) to 2,059 for cadmium (exceeding the 75 ppm limit under the proposed US Children’s Toxic Metals Act) and 159 ppm to 6,713 ppm for lead (exceeding the lead in paint limit under the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act).
"Ceramic mugs with 'kilig to the bones' (titillating) images or messages were among the 'dirtiest' with worrisome levels of cadmium and lead unfit for food contact materials," Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect said.
A mug with the message "World's Best Lover" registered with the highest amount of cadmium at 2,059 and also had 6,628 ppm of lead, 1,233 of arsenic and 513 ppm of antimony.
Another mug with the image of a cheerful boy holding a bouquet of hearts tested with the highest amount of lead at 6,713 ppm and also had 1,951 ppm of cadmium, 1,065 ppm of arsenic, 635 ppm of chromium and 295 ppm of antimony.
Fetuses, young children, workers and women of child-bearing age are most susceptible to the effects of lead exposure and poisoning, the EcoWaste Coalition said.
Citing information from the WHO, the group said that lead absorbed by the fetus can cause difficulties during pregnancy, including miscarriage, premature birth or low birth-weight. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)
