According to EcoWaste warns public vs children's toys containing disease-causing chemicals | Inquirer News, the usage of outdoor toys by young children in the traditional Larong Pinoy has prompted a warning from an environmental organization to consumers and parents.
At a mall in Binondo, Manila, on March 19, EcoWaste claimed to have bought and inspected Filipino toys like holen, or glass marbles, and sipa, or kick toys with shredded plastic skirts and lead washer bottoms.
The team checked the goods for metals that might cause illness using an X-Ray Fluorescence analyzer. According to the World Health Organization's list of 10 chemicals that pose the greatest threat to human health and the Philippine Priority Chemicals List, cadmium and lead are both on both lists.
The WHO stated that while cadmium has toxic effects on the kidney, the skeletal system, and the respiratory system and is categorized as a human carcinogen, lead has cumulative toxic effects on multiple body systems, including the neurologic, hematologic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal systems.
In a statement released on Tuesday, EcoWaste National Coordinator Aileen Lucero expressed her organization's happiness at discovering the eight brilliantly painted turumpo in compliance with the nation's lead paint legislation, which forbids the use of lead-containing paints in children's toys. This is fantastic news for kids, especially when considering the outcomes of previous screenings.
Lucero further mentioned that the US forbids items for children to contain more lead than 100 ppm. The highest amounts of cadmium or lead found in sample holens were 447 ppm for a blue marble and 568 ppm for a black marble, respectively.
As none of the tested products had any labeling information, she pointed out that the toys required to be properly labeled in order to comply with the Republic Act 10620, also known as the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013.
In accordance with RA 10620, any balloon, ball, marble, toy, or game with packaging that does not adhere to the Act's criteria shall be deemed to be misbranded or a prohibited dangerous material and shall be removed from the market at the expense of the producer or importer.
Accordingly, the group reiterated its request to toy manufacturers, authorities, and retailers to make sure that only legal, kid-friendly, non-hazardous, and properly labeled toys are sold, particularly now that summer vacation is quickly approaching and many young children are expected to engage in outdoor play and fun.
