Ban ‘toxic’ plastic, DOH urged

Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin. CATHY MIRANDA/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—An environment and consumer safety watch group has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to issue a directive that would ban a chemical commonly used to make plastic, which has been proven to be toxic.

The EcoWaste Coalition has called on Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin to sign an administrative order that would ban plastic products containing the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) in the Philippines.

The group was referring to the DOH administrative order titled, “Prohibition on the Manufacture, Importation, Advertisement and Sale of Polycarbonate Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups Containing Bisphenol A in the Philippines,” a draft of which was released in 2013, but has yet to be signed and implemented.

“The EcoWaste Coalition is deeply concerned with the lamentable delay in issuing the said administrative order in light of increased global concern over human exposure to BPA and the string of scientific studies validating such concern,” said the group, in a letter signed by EcoWaste coordinator Thony Dizon.

According to the group, BPA is linked to health problems such as asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, infertility, erectile dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and breast and prostrate cancers.