Cheap blings may be bad for you

Have a care about what your “kikay” kits contain.

This was the warning to “fashionistas” with a penchant for buying low-priced blings in specialty stores by an environmental organization which found a cancer-causing agent in costume accessories sold in Quiapo, Manila.

In a statement, EcoWaste Coalition said that traces of cadmium were found in 50 samples of bracelets, brooches, earrings, hair clips and necklaces bought from shops on Evangelista and Villalobos Streets.

“We were shocked to find high levels of cadmium in jewelry and ornaments that were quite popular among girls and women,” said the group’s national coordinator Aileen Lucero.

According to her, the excessive amounts of the cancer-causing agent found in over half of the samples “would make them illegal to sell in Europe.”

Using a portable X-ray fluorescence device, EcoWaste found cadmium up to 165,300 parts per million (ppm) in 26 of the samples, far above the European Union’s limit of 100 ppm.

Lucero called on the government to restrict cadmium in accessories to prevent children from being exposed to the harmful ingredient through inhalation, ingestion or absorption through the skin.

She also observed that some of the accessories had this warning information: “This is not a toy; please take it away from children.”