Government monitoring chemicals used to clean jewelry

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Health is monitoring chemicals being used to clean jewelry owing to reports that they contain toxic substances, including cyanide.

Cyanide is considered highly toxic to humans and aquatic life because it can deprive the body of oxygen even at low concentrations. 

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje earlier ordered the DENR regional offices to ban the sale of chemicals used to clean jewelry that contains cyanide.

The order is by virtue of DENR Administrative Order No. 39 or the Chemical Control Order that controls the importation and sale of cyanide.

Paje said importers, distributors and industrial users on electroplating, those engaged in steel manufacturing, and plastic production and jewelry-making are covered with this order.

Even the Department of Trade and Industry, through the Bureau of Trade Regulations and Consumer Protection, was asked to ban the sale of unlabeled items, particu-larly chemicals used to clean jewelry.

A recent study of the University of the Philippines - National Poison Management and Control Center showed there were nine deaths from January to June this year that involved poisoning of cyanide.

Some of the small-time jewelry cleaners operating along Colon Street admitted to The FREEMAN they do not know whether the chemical(s) they use contains cya-nide.

They admitted further that they simply throw used chemicals into the drainage.

DENR said labeling of containers is vital in preventing risks from poisoning because manufacturers will be required to inform consumers about the contents of the chemicals, its specifications and handling of the product. (FREEMAN)