Eco group warns vs ‘toxic’ raincoats

Parents may have to be more careful in choosing rain gear for their children as some raincoats made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic may contain toxic additives including lead, an ecological group warned Saturday.

The EcoWaste Coalition said samples of PVC rain coats sold for P130 to P200 in Divisoria (Manila) and Baclaran tested positive for "excessive lead."

Following its findings, the group urged parents to look for non-PVC rain gears such as those made from alternative rain-repulsing materials with least toxic components.

Citing an analysis conducted by global testing firm SGS, the group said some of the sample rain gear had lead of 164 to 574 parts per million (ppm).

This was way above the permissible limit of 100 ppm for lead in accessible substrate materials under the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, it said.

EcoWaste coordinator Anthony Dizon noted lead and other toxins are discharged into the environment as products age, corrode  and are finally discarded.

He warned children are more vulnerable to environmental toxins because they breathe more air, eat more food and drink more water, and are often exposed to harmful substances.

The group also noted lead can damage or retard brain development and cause health problems such as learning disabilities, lower IQ scores, shorter attention span, poor impulse control and aggressive behavior.

Meanwhile, the group asked manufacturers of rain gear to abide by the strict prohibition on the use of lead in the production of school supplies under the DENR’s Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds.

It also asked manufacturers of school supplies such as rain coats and other children’s products to: