14 February 2025, Quezon City. Following its exposé on perfumes containing a banned “reprotoxic” synthetic scent ingredient, the EcoWaste Coalition today alerted consumers about heavy metals lurking in some Valentine- and love-themed ceramic mugs that are sold in the marketplace.
As part of its continuing campaign to promote consumer awareness and vigilance against hazardous chemicals that can put people’s health, safety, and future at risk, the EcoWaste Coalition purchased 15 mugs containing messages and designs celebrating romantic love and friendship.
The mugs were obtained for P45 to P189 each from retail shops in Makati, Manila and Quezon Cities. To check if the items purchased contained heavy metals of concern, cadmium and lead in particular, the group performed a chemical screening on the mugs using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer.
The colorful paints used on this mug contain toxic lead way above the legal limit of 90 parts per million (ppm).
According to the XRF screening results, 11 out of the 15 ceramic mugs contained cadmium and/or lead at levels ranging from 172 to 795 parts per million (ppm) for cadmium and 3,362 to 15,400 ppm for lead. Nine of the analyzed mugs were found to contain both cadmium and lead.
A mug with black and red “Happy Valentine’s from the one you love” message had the highest cadmium content at 795 ppm, and a mug with multi-colored heart design registered with the highest lead content at 15,400 ppm.
The cadmium and lead detected on the mugs could be attributed to the use of ceramic glazes and decorative paints containing lead and/or cadmium, which give the mugs luster and bright colors. Studies have shown that cadmium and lead may leach into the beverage or food prepared, kept or served using mugs and related ceramic tableware containing these chemicals.
It is possible not to use glazes and paints without cadmium and lead in the production of ceramic mugs.
On the positive side, cadmium and lead were not detected on four of the analyzed mugs, indicating that the technology and raw materials are commercially available to produce mugs without using glazes or paints containing these toxic metals.
The EcoWaste Coalition advocates for the non-use of cadmium and lead in ceramic mugs and other food contact materials knowing that these chemicals are toxic and have no beneficial role in the human body, and that mugs can be produced without lead and cadmium inputs.
Considering the health and safety of the workers making ceramic mugs and the consumers using them, the EcoWaste Coalition urges manufacturers to only make and market products that are safe from hazardous chemicals.
According to the key scientific findings published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), “Lead is a heavy metal that is toxic at very low exposure levels and has acute and chronic effects on human health. It is a multi-organ system toxicant that can cause neurological, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, hematological and reproductive effects.”
Cadmium “exerts toxic effects on the kidneys as well as the skeletal and respiratory systems (and) is classified as a human carcinogen,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has identified both cadmium and lead among the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.
Before getting a mug for your special someone, the EcoWaste Coalition urges love-hooked Filipinos to exercise their legally-protected rights as consumers to information and product safety, and take these important tips into account:
1. Ask for information from the seller if the product is properly manufactured and tested before the sale.
2. If the information is not available, go for a plain white mug or a clear glass mug as a precaution.
3. Consider other gift ideas if it cannot be guaranteed that the mug is food-safe.
References:
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27636/Cadmium_Review.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22871/Key_Scientific_Findings_Lead_EN.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
