With the laid-back pace of implementing laws in our land, it comes as no surprise that the public is still exposed to dangerous levels of lead in barbecue sauce brushes and watercolor boxes.
The Eco-Waste Coalition recently called the attention of the Cebu City local government to the continued sale in department stores of lead-laden Artex watercolor sets which are used by school children.
The group also sounded the alarm over barbecue vendors using lead-based paintbrushes to baste the food they serve in stalls all over the metropolis.
Exposure to lead is a major public health risk.
Authorities shouldn’t wait for a spike in lead-induced diseases in the populace before cracking down on the sale of items that contain this toxic metal.
Lead accumulates in the body, afflicting the nervous system. It shortens the life span of red blood cells and can lead to anemia and kidney disease.
This is the reason the government has set a cap on the acceptable amount of lead in any product. Anything over that limit should be banned from the market.
So, why are innocent school children and consumers, both local and tourists, who savor Cebu’s famed barbecue still at risk of lead poisoning?
Better coordination is needed between agencies. Can the Department of Trade and Industry improve its monitoring so that toxic watercolors will not make it to store shelves?
Can local health departments inspect all barbecue stalls and urge owners to replace paintbrushes with natural substitutes like lemon grass or banana leaf ribs?
The city health department had been educating vendors about proper sanitation standards. Those who don’t comply should be flagged.
Time is lost waiting for the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting the use of paintbrushes to apply sauce on street food.
Consumers have to look out for themselves and just avoid the health risk.
Aside from heeding standing health advisories that charcoal-grilled food, especially the burned portions of meat, is carcinogenic, we have to watch out as well for the cooking tools.
So don’t eat the sidewalk barbecue if the vendor dipped a paintbrush in sauce to make it tastier.
And skip buying Artex brand watercolor sets for the children at home.