Fake loom bands sold in Manila retail stores have high lead content—EcoWaste

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MANILA, Philippines—An environment and consumer safety group cautioned parents against buying fake loom band charms that may cheer up kids but harm them.

EcoWaste Coalition issued the warning after detecting high levels of lead in nearly half of the knock off loom band ornaments they bought from Manila retail stores. The charms are added to loom bands as accessories.

Using an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, the group found as much as 3,289 parts per million (ppm) of lead in some of the fake charms made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. The toxic metal is banned in the production of toys under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds.

According to EcoWaste’s Project Protect coordinator Thony Dizon, “Not all loom band charms are created equal. Some are loaded with hazardous substances that should not be found in children’s products. Parents should therefore exercise utmost caution and care when buying play things to safeguard their kids from unwanted chemical risks.”

Dizon said that out of 125 pieces of knock off loom band charms EcoWaste bought from different retailers at the 999 Shopping Mall in the Divisoria district, 61 pieces accounting for 49 percent had high levels of lead.

The group found 406 to 3,289 ppm of lead in 61 pieces of the fake ornaments, 21 of them with over 1,000 ppm of the toxic metal. EcoWaste has time and again explained that lead is a potent neurotoxin that can damage the brain and the central nervous system and harm almost all body organs, with children under six most at risk.

“This (the finding) does not come as a surprise as PVC toys are notorious for containing many toxic additives, including lead as pigment or stabilizer and phthalate as plasticizer or softening agent in vinyl plastic,” Dizon pointed out.

On the other hand, original loom bands and charms were found safe from harmful chemicals.

EcoWaste conducted test-buys following European reports on knock off loom band charms containing extremely high levels of toxic phthalates.

Researchers of the United Kingdom’s Birmingham Assay Office have reportedly detected high concentrations of phthalates in some fake charms of as much as 50 percent phthalates by weight, way over the 0.1 percent threshold limit.

A 2011 Department of Health administrative order prohibits phthalates DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate), DBP (dibutyl phthalate) and BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate) in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent on toys.

It further bans the manufacture, sale distribution or importation of toys that can be placed in a child’s mouth containing concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) or di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP).

EcoWaste said that phthalates have been classified as endoctrine-disrupting chemicals and have been blamed for genital deformities and developmental abnormalities on pubescent children as well as other health problems.

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