Cell phone cases test positive for lead

Warning: The cell phone case you are using may be hazardous to your health.

After years of being warned that excessive cell phone use may pose health risks, it now appears that that’s not the only thing one should be worried about.

Based on a test conducted by toxics watchgroup EcoWaste Coalition, fake snakeskin leather cases being sold by sidewalk vendors on Recto Avenue in Divisoria, Manila at P10 each were found to contain lead—a chemical linked to impaired mental development, infertility, heart attack and other health problems.

“Users touch cell phone cases many times a day, exposing them to lead which may be… ingested through hand to mouth or skin contact,” Thony Dizon, coordinator of the group’s Project Protect, said in a statement.

He added that the lead detected in the imitation leather cases could be traced to plastic stabilizers or paint coatings used in the products.

“If you have bought a [lead-tainted] cell phone case or if you suspect that you are using a one, please be careful and do keep it away from kids. As a precaution, wash your hands regularly to remove any tiny amount of lead that may remain after touching it,” Dizon said.

Using an X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer, EcoWaste’s Task Force on Chemical Safety detected 1,390 parts per million (ppm) of lead in a red cell phone case which also contained 109 ppm of arsenic and 667 ppm of chromium.

On the other hand, a blue case had 520 ppm of lead; fuchsia, 446 ppm; and white, 390 ppm. A California state law says that lead in leather products may not exceed 300 ppm by weight and there should be a warning on the label that it contains harmful chemicals, the group said.

Meanwhile, the test showed no detectable level of lead in sample black cases but the finding doesn’t mean that the color is safe as it depends on the composition of the material,

EcoWaste said.

To minimize the threat of lead exposure from consumer products such as cell phone cases, it advised the public to avoid products made of synthetic and brightly colored materials that are not certified lead-free and opt instead for products made of nontoxic materials such as baby socks turned into cell phone cases, crocheted pouches and non-PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic cases.