WITH the onset of holiday gift-buying, toxics watchdog BAN Toxics advises residents of Bulacan province to exercise extra caution when purchasing toys, as some products may contain harmful chemicals that could potentially put children at risk.
In a recent random market monitoring, the group visited bargain shops and toy stores in Bocaue, Calumpit, Malolos City, Sta. Maria, and San Jose del Monte City. They purchased 30 samples including toy fire trucks, helicopters, cars, animation-inspired toys, Rubik’s cubes, food-like toys, squeaky toys, musical instruments, toy guns, battery-operated brick games, hula hoops, pick-up sticks, animal and dinosaur figures, clay toys, skipping ropes and beads, mini laser beams and laser pointers, Beyblades with lights, and a toy wand. Prices ranged from ₱10 to ₱120.
The group noted that all the samples were not properly labeled as required under RA 10620 or the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013.
BAN Toxics screened the samples using a Vanta C-Series XRF Analyzer and found elevated levels of lead, ranging from 107 to 5,800 parts per million (ppm). Mercury was detected at levels between 121 and 590 ppm, while cadmium was present at up to 300 ppm. Other chemicals detected included antimony and bromine. All samples contained one or more toxic metals above regulatory limits, increasing the potential harm posed by multiple exposures to these hazardous substances.
“This finding highlights the gravity of the unwarranted sale of unnotified and unregistered children’s toys, not only in the market hubs of Metro Manila but also in nearby provinces,” said Thony Dizon, Advocacy and Campaign Officer of BAN Toxics.
“Our Bulacan LGUs and regulatory agencies should expedite their monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure that only registered and safe toys are made available in the market,” he added.
Last October, the group exposed the presence of toxic chemicals in toys sold in Pasay City. Of the 200 toy samples tested, 125 were found to contain lead at levels ranging from 100 ppm to as high as 6,000 ppm. Other chemicals detected included arsenic, antimony, bromine, cadmium, chromium, and mercury.
RA 10620 mandates that all toys and games, whether locally or internationally manufactured and imported, donated, distributed, or sold in the Philippines, comply with the safety labeling and manufacturer’s marking requirements set forth in the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for toy safety. Likewise, the DENR Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds prohibits the use of lead in the production and manufacturing of toys.
The WHO factsheet on lead poisoning states: “Lead can affect children’s brain development, resulting in a reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as decreased attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and lower educational attainment.”
BAN Toxics once again calls on regulatory agencies to conduct on-site market inspections and confiscate unregistered, unlabeled and unnotified toys, not only in Metro Manila but across the country. The group emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts to ensure that only safe toys are available in the market and that children are protected from exposure to toxic chemicals.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant when buying toys and other children’s products as gifts for the holiday season. The health and safety of our children should be our priority, and the best gift that we can give them is a toxics-free and waste-free future,” Dizon said.
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