Groups seek enforcement of ban on lead paint
MANILA, Philippines — Environmental watchdogs EcoWaste Coalition and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) yesterday called on the government to strictly enforce the ban on the use of lead in paint products.
In a statement, the EcoWaste and IPEN said their joint study revealed that industrial paints with high lead contents are still available in the market despite the completion of the six-year phaseout period for such products, which ended on Dec. 31, 2019.
The groups released the findings of a study titled “Lead in solvent-based industrial paints sold in the Philippines,” coinciding with the observance of the United Nations-backed International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
“Our monitoring showed that several manufacturers are not complying with the ban on lead paints,” EcoWaste chemical safety campaigner Thony Dizon said.
The study covers 68 samples of solvent-based industrial paints representing 49 paint brands from 30 manufacturers. The samples were purchased from retail stores in 15 cities in Metro Manila, as well as from online dealers and paint manufacturers.
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