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MANILA, Philippines — Chinese-manufactured spray paints sold locally contain high levels of lead, with many falsely labeled as lead-free, according to a study released on Tuesday by a local environmental watchdog group.
EcoWaste Coalition found 15 imported paint products with lead content far exceeding the Philippine regulatory limit of 90 parts per million (ppm). Of these, 12 were identified as “made in China.”
Its findings were based on laboratory tests conducted by SGS, a global testing company. The worst offender, a yellow Korona Spray Paint, contained a staggering 130,000 ppm of lead despite being labeled “no Pb.” Pb is the chemical symbol for lead.
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Other highly contaminated samples included: Korona Spray Paint (orange) with 76,300 ppm; Korona Spray Paint (lemon yellow) with 73,200 ppm; Anton Spray Paint (canary yellow) with 37,500 ppm and Sinag Paint Aerosol (deep yellow) with 29,600 ppm.
Even paints with lower concentrations, such as Korona Spray Paint in rose pink (431 ppm), signal red (373 ppm), and violet (280 ppm), still significantly exceeded the safety threshold.
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New measures needed
“The nonstop importation, distribution and sale of lead-containing paint products justify the adoption of new measures to uphold our country’s ban on such paints,” said Manny Calonzo, EcoWaste Coalition campaigner.
The group called for stricter enforcement of existing regulations and new measures to prevent the import of lead-containing paints. It argued that despite the government’s ban on lead chromates used in paint manufacturing, products containing these hazardous additives are still entering the country without penalties.
Health experts warn that lead is a potent neurotoxin that can cause irreversible brain damage and developmental issues, particularly in children.
EcoWaste Coalition called on consumers to be vigilant and for authorities to take immediate action to remove these hazardous products from the market.