Chemical-tainted stationery put children’s lives at risk
Low-quality, cheap stationery imported in violation of prescribed standards is placing the lives and health of children at risk.
Retailer shops are flooded with less expensive, substandard school stationery and plastics which are commonly used by school and preschool children, said Dr. Mahinda Wickramarachchi, head of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital’s (LRH) quality control unit.
The items include lead pencils, colour pencils and a variety of plastic water bottles and lunch boxes. Following complaints from parents regarding the quality of these goods, the LRH did a study which revealed that the materials posed a danger to children’s lives, and most items contained heavy metals, Dr. Wickramarachchi said.
Besides Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) guidelines, there are health standards for such products, he pointed out. This includes the international standard EN71-3 for children’s stationery and toys, requiring them to use colours free of heavy metals.
Children often ingest or bite the ends of pencils, thereby causing toxic chemicals or heavy metals to be absorbed, Dr. Wickramarachchi said.
Most plastic products could release chemicals that can mimic the oestrogen hormone leading to changes in cell proliferation and increasing three-fold the risk of developing breast cancer. Some should be used sparingly with food and drink while others must not be placed in the microwave.
Product certification compliance should not be taken for granted when importing products. However Sri Lanka lacks any control or separate regulations to monitor importation of plastics.
Parents must be careful when buying water bottles and must check for “Standard 05”— the relevant guideline for food or water carriers. The same applies to stationery. Glass is deemed chemically safer than plastic as it does not leach harmful substances into food or water. Glass bottles covered with portable neoprene bottle sleeves have been encouraged as suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Stainless steel is the most durable, eco-friendly and cost-effective option with zero potential health hazards, said Dr. Inoka Suraweera, consultant community physician.
Storing hot food in plastics may inadvertently expose a meal to potentially harmful chemicals. Allowing the food to cool down before transferring it to a plastic container and using a receptacle that is specifically designed for hot food is ideal.
Bisphenol A, commonly called BPA, is an unsafe toxin found in plasticware which can potentially cause cancer in children over time. Dr. Suraweera urges parents to check which products are BPA-free by looking for the number stamped on the bottom. “There are seven categories,” she said. “Numbers one to six are BPA-free. Those with a number seven contain the chemical.”
The sale of substandard stationery disproportionately impacts lowincome groups, extending beyond city limits, said Ranjith Vithanage, chairman of National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection. If products don’t meet required standards, they must be re-exported, he insisted.
The Government must introduce a price cap for better quality plastic items that are now sold at high prices, proposed Kotahena Central College Principal Mohan Parakrama Weerasinghe.
There was scant concern being displayed for school education, said Joseph Stalin, general secretary of Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU). Parents are not only struggling to feed their children, but are also burdened with the spiralling cost of all school goods and uniforms. He called for a stationery management system to cut waste.
The Central Environmental Authority has introduced ‘extended producer responsibility’ (EPR) that prevails on manufacturers to take responsibility for their products’ environmental and health impacts during the latter stages of their life cycle, once they are in the hands of consumers. Producers are also encouraged to design items with minimal negative effects, said Director General Hemantha Jayasinghe.
On the directives of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, the CEA intends to set up a plastics center. The scheme, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will assist in waste management.
“Product certification compliance should not be taken for granted when importing products,” Mr. Jayasinghe stressed. “However Sri Lanka lacks any control or separate regulations to monitor importation of plastics.”
The CEA intends to mandate EPR certification for importers and to establish a centralised registration portal to promote strict compliance,” he said.
Meanwhile, with the start of the annual Sri Pada pilgrimage season, the Nuwara Eliya District Secretary Nandana Galabada has prohibited people from taking plastic and polythene on to the mountain. The sale of these items is banned in hotels and shops from Udamaluwa to Nallathanniya and devotees have been urged to do everything to preserve the ecologically sensitive forest area around the site for future generations.