Foreign delegates and students of the Marigondon Elementary School “palm print” on the canvas to lead paint hazard awareness. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
SCHOOL children in Lapu-Lapu city pressed their palms in different colors of paint for a colorful mural.
The “palm printing” activity was part of a campaign advocating lead-free paint in schools.
Ecology activists from various countries visited Marigondon Elementary School yesterday with the EcoWaste Coalition to raise awareness of the hazards of lead-based paint.
They came dressed in their national costumes representing Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Czech Republic, Sweden and the United States.
Many building projects have used lead-based paints, which can poison occupants who accidentally ingest it or inhale the fumes over a prolonged period.
Lead is a known neurotoxin, targeting the central nervous system. Exposure can reduce human IQ levels and there is no established safe level of exposure for children.
Pupils were encouraged to wash their hands frequently to avoid ingesting lead and other harmful matters.
The event was part of the Asian Lead Paint Elimination Project, a three-year project coordinated by IPEN, “a global civil society network for a toxics-free future.”
“Our main agenda is to raise awareness on how lead can be very dangerous to the body especially to the children who are very vulnerable because they are still growing and might not reach their full potential,” said Jeiel Guarino, policy and communications officer of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Lead Paint Elimination Project.
It was the group’s first time to visit a school for the campaign, held in time for the five-day Asian Lead Paint Elimination Project Workshop in Cebu that started last June 9 with 30 participants from 10 countries.
In December last year, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje signed a chemical control order (CCO) limiting to 90 parts per million (ppm) the threshold for lead in paints and sets a phase-out period of three years for leaded architectural, decorative and household paints effective by 2016.
On Monday, a seminar will be conducted at Cebu City Hall to address the need for a procurement policy against high lead content materials used in schools.
Reynold Velos, principal, is thankful for the information given to students on the harmful effects of lead.