Scientist: Gov’t wise for regulating lead

CEBU, Philippines -  A health scientist believes it is a wise move of the local government to push for regulation of lead in the city.

“By specifying that only lead safe paints should be carefully used for publicly-funded facilities, especially those frequented by small children such as playgrounds, schools and housing, the government is making a wise move to minimize future incidents of childhood lead exposure,” said Dr. Scott Clark, Professor Emeritus of the University of Cincinnati (USA).

Clark was one of the speakers during the citizen’s forum at the Cebu City Hall yesterday.

Just last week, the City Council passed a resolution urging the executive department to adopt a lead safe procurement policy.

Clark said procurement practices can be most effective if instituted by large consumers of paints such as national government agencies, cities and municipalities, school systems, real estate developers and homeowners’ associations.

Ecowaste Coalition, an environmental network that promotes chemical safety and zero waste, said that by choosing lead safe paints, “we prevent adding new sources of lead to the environments of our kids.” Exposure to hazardous paint chips and dust can reportedly damage the brain, retard their development and put their future at risk.

Lead, a toxic chemical, has been shown to harm a child’s developing brain and central nervous system even at low levels of exposure and these effects can have very serious consequences throughout a child’s life.

Clark himself has been assisting the coalition and other environmental groups involved in the European Union-funded Asian Lead Paint Elimination Project in the Philippines and six other developing countries.

Earlier, Ecowaste and visiting environmentalists from 10 countries joined some 300 students of Marigondon Elementary School in Lapu-Lapu City  in unfurling a huge banner stating “Lead Free Kids for a Healthy Future”  to raise awareness about childhood lead exposure and promote a lead safe school environment.

 The group also joined the students in a symbolic palm printing using lead safe paints to express their unity with the nation’s goal of protecting all kids against childhood lead exposure. (FREEMAN)