Lead, arsenic found in lucky charms sold in Manila

Some lucky charms for the incoming Year of the Goat may bring bad luck and sickness as these contain large amounts of toxic chemicals, according to the findings of an environmental advocacy group.

The EcoWaste Coalition has warned Filipinos fond of good luck charms to be careful after the group found out that 13 of the 20 sample trinkets it bought contained lead, arsenic, chromium, antimony and cadmium.

The five are among the World Health Organization’s Top 10 “chemicals of major public health concern.”

“Exposure to these toxic metals has been associated with a range of health issues from reproductive disorders, birth defects, developmental delays, hormonal imbalances, heart ailments, neurological problems to cancers,” Thony Dizon, coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect, said in a statement on Sunday.

The 20 trinkets worth P20 to P250 each were bought from sidewalk vendors in Binondo and Quiapo, Manila. The lucky charms were screened using an X-ray fluorescence which can detect individual elements used to make an item.

Excessive levels of lead and other poisonous chemicals were found in a lucky dragon amulet, a refrigerator magnet shaped like a frog sitting on a lotus leaf, a dragon refrigerator magnet, a “Wu Lou” amulet with a “Medicine Buddha” mantra, a figurine of a goat with a pineapple, a double fish lucky coin figure, and a “Door Fu” decoration, among others.

Dizon blamed the paint used on the trinkets for the lead, arsenic and chromium these contained, even up to as much as 7,920 parts per million (ppm) of lead, way above the 90 ppm limit under American consumer product safety laws.

“None of the items analyzed have complete product labeling information, including chemical information, to warn buyers of possible hazards. Ironically, many Filipinos unsuspectingly buy such potentially dangerous lucky charms and amulets for good health and for a long, trouble-free life,” Dizon said.

“While not originally made for children’s use, it’s not improbable for lucky charms and amulets to get into the hands of a curious kid who may bite, gnaw on or even accidentally ingest the toxic items, some of which are small enough to be swallowed [like the lucky gold coins],” he added.

Instead of relying on lucky charms, Filipinos should just strive to work harder and do good deeds, Dizon said.