5 school supplies test positive for suspected carcinogen

Some school supplies being sold in time for the opening of classes on June 15 have tested positive for a suspected carcinogen, an environmental group warned Sunday. EcoWaste Coalition said five samples of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) school supplies it sent to laboratories for testing yielded suspected carcinogen di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate/DEHP. Found to have high levels of DEHP were a green long plastic envelope (19.881 percent DEHP), a PVC plastic book cover (18.997 percent), a PVC notebook cover (18.543 percent), a PVC plastic lunch bag and a PVC bagpack (both with 17.120 percent DEHP). "All five samples tested positive with DEHP, a suspected carcinogen, exceeding the US limit by nearly 200 times," the group said on its blog site. EcoWaste said it bought the five typical PVC school supplies from popular stores May 24 to 31, and had them analyzed by Intertek Testing Services Philippines. Parents warned The limit for DEHP and five other types of phthalates as per US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is 0.1 percent of any children's product for ages 12 and below. "Our investigation proves the presence of elevated amounts of health-damaging phthalates in products commonly used by school-going Filipino kids. In the interest of children’s health and safety, we urge the authorities to make a decisive policy action - based on the precautionary principle - against these toxic substances," said Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste Coalition's Project PROTECT or People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats. "In the meantime, we advise parents to patronize school supplies that are PVC-free and invite them to join us in pushing for a strong regulation that will ban and safeguard our children from phthalates," Lucero added. What are phthalates? Phthalates are toxic industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible, softer or durable. The European Union and the United States have banned the use of some phthalates in plastic toys and childcare articles. “This is a disturbing discovery! Children are particularly vulnerable, as their reproductive systems are under development. Furthermore, DEHP is a suspected carcinogen. For these reasons, DEHP is prohibited in the EU in toys and childcare articles," said Dr. Andreas Prevodnik, program officer on chemicals of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC). SSNC, a partner of EcoWaste for chemical safety work, said DEHP is a developmental and reproductive toxicant in animals, and is believed to have similar effects in humans. In the 14th Congress, Senator Manuel Lapid proposed a resolution banning phthalates in cosmetics and personal care products. Sen. Miriam Santiago and her son Rep. Narciso Santiago III also filed bills promoting phthalate-free toys. - KBK, GMANews.TV