MANILA, Philippines – Environmental group Ecowaste Coalition has warned against the dangers of cadmium, a known carcinogen found in children’s jewelry in the US.
Ecowaste urged the government to test children’s jewelry sold in the country and safely dispose of those laced with cadmium.
Former Ecowaste president Manny Calonzo said the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued five recall orders for cadmium-tainted children’s jewelry from China.
The group noted that the California State Senate passed a law last August banning the manufacture, shipment or sale of children’s jewelry containing more than 0.03 percent cadmium by weight starting 2012.
“We need to be on ‘red alert’ to ensure that rejected children’s jewelry as well as toys containing elevated amounts of cadmium, lead and other toxic substances are not dumped into the Philippine market,” said Calonzo.
Cadmium is listed in the revised Priority Chemical List comprised of 48 chemicals that need regulation. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, however, is yet to issue a chemical control order (CCO) that will regulate the use of cadmium and cadmium compounds.
The DENR has issued CCOs for asbestos, cyanide, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls to prevent serious risks to public health.
According to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, breathing high levels of cadmium can severely damage the lungs. Eating food or drinking water with very high levels of cadmium severely irritates the stomach, causing vomiting and diarrhea.
Long-term exposure to lower levels of cadmium in air, food, or water leads to a buildup of cadmium in the kidneys, leading to kidney disease.
Other long-term effects are lung damage and fragility of bones.
Ecowaste also warned that seven brands of imported whitening products banned by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for containing high level of mercury are still sold in shopping malls in Baclaran and Pasay City.
“Several months have already passed since these mercury-laced skin lightening products were banned for posing imminent danger or injury to consumers and we can still purchase them like ordinary personal care products,” said Aileen Lucero, of EcoWaste’s Project Protect. -– Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star) with Sheila Crisostomo
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week
Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
