TOXIC watchdog BAN Toxics has called the attention of the public to refrain from buying kiddie plastic slippers sold online after detecting lead, a brain damaging toxicant.
The group purchased the popular kiddie slippers on the online platform shopee for testing, priced at Php 45-55 only. The colorful slippers with elastic bands, bearing the name of popular brands, are intended for 1-3 year olds.
Using a Vanta C XRF Chemical Analyzer, the group screened the slippers and detected toxic lead levels ranging from 393 parts per million (ppm) to as high as 4,300 ppm. Additionally, the chlorine content exceeded 100,000 ppm, indicating that the material is likely polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a substance potentially hazardous to children’s health.
“Children’s products, such as kiddie slippers, should undergo testing and screening for toxic chemicals before being marketed to the public. Consumers must be aware of the risks associated with exposure, such as skin contact with hazardous chemicals,” said Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics.
“Toxic chemicals like lead can compromise children’s immune systems and brain development. The government must take action to prohibit the entry of unregistered and unnotified children’s products into the market. Likewise, online shopping platforms should implement stricter quality control measures; otherwise, we are putting the public at risk,” he added.
According to the US Environment Protection Agency:
“Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Babies and young children can also be more highly exposed to lead because they often put their hands and other objects that can have lead from dust or soil on them into their mouths.”
“Children may also be exposed to lead by eating and drinking food or water containing lead or from dishes or glasses that contain lead, inhaling lead dust from lead-based paint or lead-contaminated soil or from playing with toys with lead-based paint.”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures that pose an unreasonable risk or injury to health or the environment.
The group also raised concerns about the potential presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in the plastic slippers, including additives like phthalates. These plasticizers, used to make PVC soft and flexible, are known to disrupt the hormonal system and are classified as probable human carcinogens.
BAN Toxics advised consumers to carefully check product labels, purchase from reputable stores that issue receipts, verify products using the FDA verification portal, and choose rubber slippers as a safer alternative. However, they cautioned that surface paint coatings on such products should also be assessed for safety.
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