Group asks public to shun ‘toxic’ Valentine’s Day gift items | Sun.Star.

February 13, 2012

SOME Valentine’s Day gift items are toxic to health and not romantic at all, an environmental watchdog said on Monday.

On the eve of the anticipated event, the EcoWaste Coalition said they have discovered traces of heavy metals in 13 out of 20 products bought from formal and informal retailers in Binondo, Divisoria, Quiapo and Sta. Cruz in Manila.

These items were purchased on February 10 to 12 and screened for cadmium, lead and other heavy metals on February 13 using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer.

Among the product samples were stuffed hearts, puffy toy gifts, mugs, panty rose and other Valentine’s Days knick-knacks.

Cadmium and lead, two of the “Ten Chemicals of Major Public Health Concern” as per the World Health Organization (WHO), were detected in five samples.

According to the WHO, cadmium is classified as carcinogen and its effects can be seen on the kidney, the skeletal and the respiratory systems while lead is a toxic that affects multiple body systems, including the neurologic, hematologic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal systems.

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