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Sunday, May 28, 2017
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ILOILO City – As the resumption of classes draws near, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 6 alerted parents about school supplies laced with lead, a chemical known to adversely affect intelligence and behavior.
The regional office is monitoring retail outlets that may be selling lead-laced crayons, pencils, erasers, clay, and watercolor, among others.
Ensure the safety of children, said DTI-6 Trade and Development Division chief Judith Degala.
School year 2017-2018 begins this June 5. Parents are expected to get busy buying school supplies for their children, especially those in the preparatory, elementary and secondary levels.
At high levels of acute exposure, “lead attacks the brain and central nervous system to cause coma, convulsions and even death,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“At lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms and that previously were considered safe, lead is now known to produce a spectrum of injury that causes loss of cognition, shortening of attention span, alteration of behavior, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs,” added WHO.
While there is no abrupt increases seen in the prices of school supplies, DTI-6 wanted to ensure that these items are not harmful to children, said Degala.
DTI-6 is slated to hold its “Balik Eskwela Diskwento” caravan at the Iloilo provincial capitol from May 31 to June 2. Consumers can take advantage of from 10 to 30 percent discount on school supplies that will be sold in the caravan.
WHO has listed lead among the “10 chemicals of major public health concern.” It said “lead exposure is estimated to account for 0.6 percent of the global burden of disease, with the highest burden in developing regions.”
Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Administrative Order 2013-24 (the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds) prohibits the use of lead in the production of school supplies.
On the other hand, Department of Education’s Department Order 4, Series of 2017 requires the mandatory use of lead-safe paints in all preparatory, elementary and secondary schools.
Like DTI-6, EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit watch group on toxic chemicals, products and wastes, also warned about school supplies being sold contain undisclosed quantities of lead.
“Eliminating all sources of childhood exposure to lead in children’s environment is necessary to protect their developing brains and to help them realize their full potentials,” said Thony Dizon, coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.
To prevent children’s exposure to lead and other harmful chemicals, the EcoWaste Coalition advised consumers to do the following:
* demand complete product information, including information about a product’s chemical composition
* refrain from buying school supplies made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic that may contain toxic additives like cadmium, lead and phthalates; and
* avoid products with painted parts or metal accessories unless certified “lead-free” or “non-toxic.”/PN
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