Environmentalists find lead in schoolbags sold in Divisoria, Sta. Cruz

Kiddie backpacks and schoolbags with cartoon characters may be nice to look at but they may lower your child’s intelligence.

This was the warning aired Sunday by an environmental watchdog, which found lead in 23 of 25 schoolbags its members bought from the Sta. Cruz and Divisoria areas in Manila.

Ecowaste Coalition called on lawmakers and regulating agencies to come up with restrictions on the lead content of paints used in products used by children, particularly school bags.

In a statement, Ecowaste acting national coordinator Aileen Lucero said, “Parents should not only be worried [about] overloaded school bags that could cause back pain and deformities. Parents should be concerned as well with toxins prowling in those bags that could impair brain development, causing shorter attention span, learning disabilities and [a] decrease in IQ (intelligence quotient) scores.”

In product sampling conducted on April 25 and 27 in anticipation of the school opening in June, Ecowaste bought 25 schoolbags priced between P50 and P280 from bargain stores and sidewalk vendors on Juan Luna Street and C.M. Recto Avenue in Divisoria as well as Rizal Avenue in Sta. Cruz.

With the use of a portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, the group found that 23 of the samples contained lead of up to 5,752 parts per million (ppm), in excess of the 90 ppm threshold. In addition, none of the bags had proper product labels.

Ecowaste explained that it used as a basis for the 90 ppm threshold the lead content limit in consumer paints and surface coatings under the United States Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in the absence of a specific standard for lead in children’s bags.

To minimize lead exposure from school bags and other children’s products, Ecowaste suggested the following to parents: Avoid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic bags, which may contain lead and phthalates, chemicals that may interfere with the production or activity on hormones in the human endocrine system; and avoid bags painted with colorful designs unless labeled and certified safe from lead.

It also recommended avoiding school bags with a strong chemical smell as it indicates the use of paints with high levels of volatile organic compounds. Children should also stay away from bags with “cracked” painted designs as these could easily chip off and possibly spread lead-tainted flakes and dust.