Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Pro-environmental group EcoWaste Coalition has cautioned the public over “Winnie the Pooh” stainless steel water tumblers that contain excessive amount of lead, saying the product violates the country’s ban on lead-containing paints.
In a statement, EcoWaste said it purchased a tumbler worth P275 from a retail store in Quezon City and had it screened.
Through a point-and-shoot X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device, the group said it detected 33,630 parts per million (ppm) of lead in the yellow paint on the Winnie the Pooh tumbler.
Aside from this, another tumbler with the same design from a store in Manila City contained 31,2420 ppm of lead.
READ: EcoWaste finds 5 more non-compliant lead paints despite ban
Citing the World Health Organization, the group said: “Lead exposure can have serious consequences for the health of children. At high levels of exposure to lead the brain and central nervous system can be severely damaged causing coma, convulsions, and even death. Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with permanent intellectual disability and behavioral disorders.”
“At lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms, lead is now known to produce a spectrum of injury across multiple body systems. In particular, lead can affect children’s brain development, resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment,” it added.
In line with this, the group called for the removal of the tumbler bearing the “Winnie the Pooh” design in local stores.
“The exterior paint will chip over time with repeated use of the tumbler. The lead on the paint may end up being ingested by the user, especially by a child who is unaware of the health risk,” it said.
EcoWaste also urged the authorities to stop the items’ sale nationwide and to identify those behind the distribution of the tumblers. —Ysabel Escalona, INQUIRER.net trainee