MANILA, Philippines - Independence Day souvenir items bearing images of the Philippines' National Flag and the National Coat of Arms were found to contain harmful chemicals, health and environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition said.
Using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer, the group found lead and other harmful substances in 18 of the 25 samples of souvenir products analyzed and bought from retailers in Quiapo, Manila and in Cubao, Quezon City.
The harmful substances were discovered mainly on the flag and coat of arms designs of metallic key holders and pins.
“The lead levels found on the paints used for the flag and coat of arms motifs of the souvenir articles we screened are among the highest we ever detected,†Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition Acting National Coordinator, said on the group's website.
With its discovery, the group has asked for the amendment of R.A. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines to prohibit the use of leaded paint and other hazardous materials in the making of Philippine flags and other national symbols and in products featuring their images.
"These revered symbols of our nationhood should be toxic-free, posing no risks to human health and the environment,†said Lucero.
The group said the flag-based souvenir items with lead exceeding the US limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) for lead in paint and surface coatings include shot glasses, mugs, key chains, pins, and even bottle openers that bear the image of the Philippine National Flag and Coat of Arms.
Other than lead, other chemicals found by the group were arsenic, cadmium, antimony and chromium.
"Exposure to lead, a highly hazardous chemical, can bring about a variety of adverse health effects, especially for foetuses, infants and young children, including damage to the brain and the central nervous system, delayed mental and physical development, attention and learning problems and hearing difficulties," the group said.
It added that for adults, lead exposure can cause miscarriages and other difficulties during pregnancy, reproductive disorders, high blood pressure, muscle joint pains and neurological problems.
Ecowaste Coalition also noted that the Aquino government "has been slow in adopting a solid policy that will phase out and ultimately ban its manufacture and use in consumer products."
“Eliminating toxic products and replacing them with clean and safe ones should be a rallying point in our nation’s uphill struggle for chemical safety, public health and zero waste,†said Lucero.