Public warned of toxic raincoats

By: Jeannette I. Andrade - 10 years ago

CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

MANILA, Philippines—Toxic rain gear may protect children against the flu or a cold but they can make kids sicker.

A consumer safety group said Saturday that raincoats sold in discount retail shops in the cities of Manila and Pasay contain high levels of the toxic metal lead.

The EcoWaste Coalition cautioned parents against buying raincoats made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic which, it said, contains toxic additives particularly lead that can harm the brain and the central nervous system and even disrupt the normal functions of the endocrine system.

According to EcoWaste, five of six PVC raincoats it bought early last month from stores in Divisoria in Manila and Baclaran in Pasay City at prices ranging from P130 to P200 were found to contain lead.

The June 25 results from the analysis of the items by global testing company SGS revealed that they contained up to 574 parts per million (ppm) of lead, way above the allowable 100 ppm limit for lead in accessible substrate materials under the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

Among the items that EcoWaste sampled were two Tweety Bird yellow raincoats which contained 574 ppm and 190 ppm of lead; a yellow student raincoat with 243 ppm of lead; a Winnie the Pooh yellow raincoat with 217 ppm of the toxic metal; and a Mickey Mouse blue raincoat with 164 ppm.

According to EcoWaste Project Protect coordinator Thony Dizon, “While it is true these raincoats can prevent kids from getting wet, the lead and other hazardous substances on the PVC plastic material or design may make them sick in the long term and pollute the environment as well.”

He added that when PVC raincoats get old and are discarded, the lead and other toxins they contain are discharged into the environment.

Dizon said that children are vulnerable to such toxins because they are prone to hand-to-mouth activities and their vital organs and systems are still developing.

He advised parents to buy only non-PVC rain gear and to constantly check the condition of the products for signs of wear and tear. Children, he added, should always be reminded to wash their hands after playing and before eating.

EcoWaste asked local manufacturers to strictly abide by the provisions of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds.

They said that manufacturers should phase out lead and other toxic chemicals in the production process; disclose the chemical content of their products; and respect the consumers’ right to know through complete and truthful labeling.

Lead, which can be ingested or inhaled, is most dangerous for children because it can damage or retard brain development, causing shorter attention span, learning disabilities, lower intelligence quotient scores, poor control of impulses, and aggressive behavior.