Civic and Industry Groups Warn of 260 Toxic Imported Paints in the Philippines

Key Takeaways

• The EcoWaste Coalition and the Philippine Paint and Coatings Association (PPCAI) have jointly identified 260 imported paint products that violate the country's lead paint regulations.
• These products exceed the legal limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) for lead content, as mandated by the Chemical Control Order (CCO).
• Many of the flagged products were falsely labeled as "lead-free," despite containing hazardous levels of the toxic heavy metal.

Regulatory Violations and Findings

• Philippine law prohibits lead in paints above 90 ppm, with phase-out periods that ended in 2016 for residential and 2019 for industrial paints.
• The EcoWaste Coalition screened products using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and confirmed results through laboratory testing by SGS.
• Findings revealed that 184 of the 260 products contain lead concentrations exceeding 10,000 ppm, with 19 products surpassing 100,000 ppm.
• 51 products bore false "lead-free" or "No Pb" labels, misleading consumers and regulators.

Affected Products and Industry Response

• The list includes 56 brands, such as Aeropak, Amazing, Bosny (counterfeit), Boston, Nikko, Sanvo, and Veslee.
• PPCAI-affiliated companies are fully compliant with the CCO and advocate for stronger enforcement against illegal imports.
• Industry leaders are calling for better monitoring across e-commerce platforms and retail outlets to prevent these products from reaching consumers.

Health Implications and Global Advocacy

• The World Health Organization states there is no known safe level of lead exposure.
• Childhood lead poisoning can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system, resulting in cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues.
• Advocates are urging for the inclusion of lead chromates under the Rotterdam Convention’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure to curb the international trade of toxic pigments.