Articles worth reading

Online trade of cosmetics with mercury endangers health, environment 

account_balanceMetro Manila access_time5 days ago

In time for the World Environment Day on June 5 and the mid-year online sales on June 6, the toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition urged online shopping leaders and dealers to protect human health and the ecosystems from mercury contamination. Th...

PCSO Lotto results for June 5, 2023

account_balanceMetro Manila access_time5 days ago

UltraLotto 6/58 9pm: 31-04-52-54-10-56 In any order Jackpot Prize: Php 202,796,480.80 No Winner Consolation prizes for this game are P120,000 for 5 winning numbers, P2,000 for 4 and P100 for 3. SuperLotto 6/49 9pm: 31-13-24-33-09-26 In any order Ja...

Caloocan Nature Park opens its gates to the public

account_balanceCaloocan access_time5 days ago

Caloocan City - The Caloocan Nature Park welcomes visitors with open arms, thanks to the invaluable partnership between the local government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). The collaborative efforts of both entities hav...

Metro News

Chain store takes toxic baby bibs off the shelves 

account_balanceMetro News account_circleMichael Lim chat_bubble_outline0 Comments

The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition commended a popular chain store for removing a child care product that has been found to contain a banned plastic chemical.

“We laud MR. D.I.Y. for heeding our request for action to protect babies from being exposed to a hazardous plastic chemical banned in child care articles,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

The group had earlier notified the chain store that the white polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic sheet of the MR. D.I.Y.  Plastic Baby Bib was found to contain di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) measured at 86,700 parts per million (ppm) as per laboratory analysis.

Advertisement

“To prevent a child's exposure to DEHP, we respectfully request the management of MR. D.I.Y. to immediately stop the sale of MR. D.I.Y. PVC Plastic Baby Bibs and to return the remaining stocks to their supplier for environmentally sound disposal,” the group wrote. “MR. D.I.Y.'s customers who have bought the said bibs will surely appreciate getting a refund or having the toxic bibs in question replaced with safer bibs,” it further said.

DEHP belongs to a family of industrial chemicals called phthalates, which are added to some plastics like PVC to make them flexible and soft.  DEHP, an endocrine disrupting chemical or EDC, is known to cause cancer in animals. 

As explained by environmental health specialist Dr. Geminn Louis Apostol of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, “exposure to phthalates and other EDCs even in tiny amounts can disrupt the essential functions of the endocrine system and lead to hormonal imbalances, which may result in reduced intellectual capacity, reproductive disorders, weakened immune system, and other behavioral and health issues.”


The US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) bans DEHP in concentrations greater than 0.1 % or 1,000 ppm in children's toys and child care articles.  Aside from bibs, other child care articles covered by the ban include children's infant and toddler bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, sleepwear, teethers.

DEHP, along with five other phthalates, in concentrations above 0.1%  is also banned in children's toys as per the Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2009-0005-A as amended in 2011.

Aside from the plastic baby bib, laboratory tests also detected banned phthalates in other child care articles purchased by the EcoWaste Coalition from other retailers, including the plastic lining of reusable baby panty with 14.3 percent DEHP and a baby diaper changing mat with 8.62 percent diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and 0.325 percent DEHP.

The EcoWaste Coalition is pushing for an expanded ban on toxic phthalates in all children's goods such as toys, baby products, school supplies and the like.

"Strengthened and expanded regulations, including chemical ingredient transparency, are needed to protect fetuses and children from phthalates and other EDCs in products and the environment," the group said.


date_rangeDate Published
2 weeks ago
shareShare article
folder_openArticle tags
content_copyCategorized under

Share your thoughts with us

Related Articles

Caloocan Nature Park opens its gates to the public

account_balanceCaloocan chrome_reader_mode5 days ago

Caloocan City - The Caloocan Nature Park welcomes visitors with open arms, thanks to the invaluable partnership between the local government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). The collaborative efforts of both entities hav...

Quezon City welcomes Israeli foreign minister 

account_balanceQuezon City chrome_reader_mode3 days ago

In a momentous occasion, the City Government of Quezon City warmly received His Excellency Eli Cohen, the Foreign Minister of Israel, at the Philippine-Israel Friendship Park located in Quezon Memorial Circle. The park stands as a symbol of unity bet...

University of Caloocan City-Bagong Silang Campus ready for students

account_balanceCaloocan chrome_reader_mode5 days ago

Caloocan City - The University of Caloocan City (UCC) - Bagong Silang Campus is now prepared to accommodate the eager students, lovingly called the "Batang Kankaloo," as they embark on a new school year. This milestone has been made po...

NKTI celebrates National Kidney Month

account_balanceQuezon City chrome_reader_mode4 days ago

Quezon City - As part of the nationwide celebration of National Kidney Month 2023, the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) unveiled its latest campaign, "Bato'y Alagaan Para sa Kinabukasan" (Take Care of Your Kidneys for the Fut...

×
Click on the article to continue reading
Quezon City adopts no contact apprehension system Red Cross pushes saliva test Vaccines from COVAX to arrive in Q1 Makati Shangri-La to close doors on Feb. 1 Cities in NCR to start vaccination simultaneously Mother, girlfriend of Filipino infected with UK variant also test positive Send Press Release MNC Facebook Page MNC Twitter Page MNC Instagram Page LGU Spotlight Barangay Front Business Sports Entertainment Metro Gen Metro Feature