Mercury found in crayons and pencils, group claims

Potentially dangerous amounts of mercury have been found in cheap crayons and pencils bought mostly from Manila's Divisoria district, an ecological group said Sunday. EcoWaste Coalition said its testing found 18 crayon sets have up to 307 parts per million (ppm), way above the 20 ppm Philippine National Standards (PNS) for toy safety. “We find it disturbing that mercury, a potent neurotoxin, is present in crayons and pencils that children often put in their mouths, a most prevalent route for mercury intake,” said campaigner Aileen Lucero. The group also claimed finding mercury in 38 pencil samples, adding it could be dangerous for children who tend to bite on them. It said it got the crayon samples from seven stores mostly at New Divisoria Mall, 1188 Mall and 168 Mall, all in Divisoria. Also, it said the pencils were bought from stationery shops in Juan Luna St., New Divisoria Mall and Tutuban Mall in Divisoria and from major school supplies stores in Quiapo and Sta. Cruz. “All products meant for use in learning or playing by children should be entirely safe from mercury and other hazards. It is important to eradicate all contributors to childhood exposure to mercury,” Lucero said. She added that while the amounts of mercury found in some samples are miniscule, "no level of mercury is safe, especially for children." Lucero said mercury tends to accumulate in the food chain and the human body, mainly in the brain, liver and kidneys, if ingested or absorbed. In the wake of the findings, the group sought a stricter limit to minimize children’s exposure to mercury due to their frequent hand-to-mouth activities. EcoWaste chemist Jeiel Guarino said regulators should "consider revising the current threshold for mercury in toys and related children’s products, which is too weak to adequately protect the health of the Filipino child.” “Children often bite into and chew on toys and related products such as crayons and pencils, so  mercury as an additive or an impurity should not be present at all in articles that may get into their hands and mouths,” he said. He particularly pushed for adopting a 0.5 ppm limit for mercury in fish or the 1 ppm limit for mercury in cosmetics, instead of the present 20 ppm. — LBG, GMA News