“I already passed a resolution on this last year to stop the practice and educate barbecue vendors. I’ve seen this after eating in Larsian. It’s about time to work on a policy,” Cabrera said.
She said there must also be proper treatment before paintbrushes and other hazardous materials are disposed in the city.
Cabrera said the City Council passed a resolution last year to conduct education campaigns against the use of paintbrushes among barbecue vendors in the city.
Copies were sent to each of the city’s 80 barangays, she said.
No study
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said he would look into the matter.
“I would advise Councilor Lea Japson to coordinate with our local health officials and the Department of Health. If necessary she should pass legislation on this,” Labella said. Japson chairs the health committee.
A recent joint investigation of the EcoWaste Coalition and the Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. showed that paintbrushes often used by Cebu City barbecue vendors in basting meats were likely to contain high levels of lead.
Out of 19 paintbrushes of various brands purchased from hardware stores, 16 were found to have lead content levels way above the tolerable level of 90 parts per million of the United States.
Suzette Jabonette, information officer of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) said there is no study has been undertaken by their agency on the hazards of using paintbrushes to baste meats.
Advocacy
“If they (EcoWaste Coalition) have a study on it and it’s proven, it’s better. We will be happy to have a copy of that and we’ll help in the advocacy and information campaign,” she said.
Jabonette said they will check the Food and Drugs Administration’s (FDA) environmental health section to verify the report.
Due to budget constraints, Cebu City residents like 18-year-old college student Dale Manatad has few options aside from eating barbecue at food stalls.
“When I was a kid I didn’t see anything wrong with eating barbecue that was brushed with oil or ketchup. I eat because I don’t have a choice,” Manatad said.
Kenneth John Dingal Galano, a 23-year-old entrepreneur of Lahug, Cebu City and 25-year-old Gerlie Grace Vergara of barangay Sambag I, Cebu City also thought about cutting back on eating barbecue after learning about the lead content in paintbrushes.
Unaware
In Lapu-Lapu City, barbecue vendors Marivic Naul of Marivic BBQ House and Luding Revilleza of Purok Saging, Gun-ob, admit to using paintbrushes in basting their meats.
Naul, who sells 100-150 barbecues a day in her stall in the Lapu-Lapu City public market, said she changes paintbrushes thrice a week when it starts to flake.
She said she was unaware about the lead content in paintbrushes.
Revilleza, who said she prefers using paintbrushes because of its durability compared to pandan leaves, said barbecue vendors are also concerned about the health of their customers.
“It would have been better if we had been informed on what brands of paintbrushes are hazardous to health,” she said.
Revilleza said there was no city ordinance prohibiting them from using paintbrushes for basting sauces on their meats.
Stephen Rafaeles, a regular customer of Naul, said people will still continue to frequent barbecue stalls despite the warning.
“The taste will always stay the same, the problem lies on what instrument for basting sauce the vendors will be using,” he said./ With USJ-R Intern Mayfair D. dela Cerna
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Cebu city barbecue vendors may be using paint brushes with toxic lead content