DOH, DENR act vs silver cleaner poisoning

The Departments of Health (DOH) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have issued an advisory against the sale of cyanide-laced silver cleaners. The joint advisory reminded importers, vendors and commercial establishments about the penalties for selling or dispensing such items. “All commercial establishments such as jewelry shops and other retail outlets and ambulant vendors are strongly warned against selling and/or dispensing unregistered and unlabeled silver cleaners," the joint advisory said. The two departments asked concerned citizens to provide information on the sale of such items by calling the DOH-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at tel. no. 807-8275. Excerpts of the advisory were posted Wednesday on the blog site of ecological group EcoWaste Coalition. Meanwhile, EcoWaste is planning an information campaign on the advisory. The group said it will disseminate “Save Lives" posters to notify dealers and consumers about the advisory of the Health and Environment departments. “We laud our environment and health authorities for taking tough action to stop the injuries and deaths from the accidental and non-accidental ingestion of cyanide-laced silver cleaners. This is a victory for public safety against toxics," said EcoWaste secretary Dr. Leah Primitiva Paquiz. However, she said the advisory alone would is not enough to ensure zero poisoning and death. "We therefore urge the government to craft and carry out a corresponding ‘Oplan Silver Cleaner’ enforcement mechanism," she said. “We must stay vigilant against the sale of these cheap, but extremely deadly chemical mixtures. Through our AlerToxic Patrol volunteers, we will continue to monitor the market and duly inform the authorities," said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of EcoWaste's Project PROTECT (People Responding and Organizing against Toxic Chemical Threats). To prevent indiscriminate disposal of silver cleaners that can harm aquatic life, the joint advisory directed all individuals and entities to surrender unregistered and unlabeled silver cleaning agents in their possession. The public is advised to go to the nearest office of the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) or the DOH-FDA or their corresponding regional offices. Citing the figures of the University of the Philippines National Poison Management and Control Center (UP-NPMCC), EcoWaste said in 2009 alone, 11 Filipinos (three adults and eight children) died out of the 235 cases of silver cleaner poisoning handled or referred to the group based at the Philippine General Hospital. From January to September this year, 11 have already died, including six adults and five children. The UPNPMCC also reported a dramatic increase in the non-accidental intake of silver cleaners, which rose from 7% in 2005 to 86% in 2009. Data between July to September 2010 showed that 57 of the 68 (or 84% of the cases) in-patient admissions and telephone referrals managed by the UPNPMCC were due to non-accidental ingestion of silver cleaners. EcoWaste noted that it had written over 10 letters to the government through the DENR from May 2009 up to October 2010. It alerted the agency about the illegal sale of toxic silver cleaners, the numerous poisoning cases reported in the media, and the need to enforce the ban. –VVP, GMANews.TV