By Gabriela Baron
Less than a week before the school opening, environmental group EcoWaste Coalition reminded parents to only purchase “non-toxic” crayons.
EcoWaste Coalition issued the reminder after purchasing products without the mandatory “non-toxic” and other labeling information.
It said that among the non-compliant products purchased by the group for P22 to P80 per set were Eagle Crayons, KM Rolling Crayons, BT 21 Jumbo Wax Crayons, Princesa Jumbo Crayons, and Smile Factory Jumbo Wax Crayons.
Citing authorities, the group said crayon product labels should contain the name of the product, net content, hazard symbols if applicable, address of its manufacturer or distributor, and country of origin.
They should also include the phrase “non-toxic” to indicate that it conforms to the government-set toxicity limits.
“Children tend to put objects such as erasers, pens, and crayons in their mouths,” EcoWaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero said.
“If crayon, for example, contains a harmful substance like lead, putting it in a child’s mouth may cause her or him to ingest this toxic chemical,” Lucero added.
The Food and Drug Administration said lead exposure in children may have long-lasting or permanent consequences, such as neurological damage, delayed mental and physical development, attention and learning deficiencies, impairment of cognitive functions of the brain, and hearing problems. -ag