Warning vs cyanide in silver polish

Mayors, local health and police chiefs are being urged to intensify their crack down on vendors selling silver jewelry cleaning compounds containing cyanide.

The plea of EcoWaste Coalition follows recent warnings from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) against three brands of cyanide-laden silver cleaning products.

The FDA on August 16 warned the public against buying, using and storing Silver Sparkle Flat Silver Dip, Unisilver Silver Dip and Cleanse Silver (Copper) Cleaner “as these pose imminent hazards and danger to both human and animal health” due their cyanide content.

“We ask our local government, health and police officials to heed FDA’s request and promptly launch joint law enforcement operations to rid the marketplace of cyanide-laced silver cleaning solutions,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

“Consumers having access to this poison had already fatally harmed many people, including innocent children who mistook the clear liquid for drinking water,” he added.

On Saturday the Quezon City-based group went to the same silver jewelry shops in a shopping mall in Quiapo, Manila where the FDA got the said silver cleaning products and managed to buy Silver Sparkle Flat Silver Dip for and Unisilver Silver Dip for R69. R55

In addition, the group also bought the dangerous products from stores along Villalobos and Carriedo Streets.

“We request Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to go after the stores selling these highly toxic products and revoke their business permits outright to show that he means business when it comes to protecting the public health and safety from cyanide poisoning,” Dizon said.

According to the FDA, “cyanide blocks utilization of oxygen in all organs and (is) liable to cause serious injury to human health that may lead to acute poisoning or death.”