Beware of hazardous campaign materials this May elections.
As the start of the official campaign period for the May 13 midterm polls draws near, environmentalist group Ecowaste Coalition warned the people against election tarpaulins that may contain cadmium, a heavy metal with a high toxicity that is used as plastic colorant and/or stabilizer.
The group stated that cadmium is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) among the “ten chemicals of major public health concern” along with arsenic, asbestos, dioxins, lead, mercury and other highly hazardous substances.
Cadmium and its compounds are also included in the expanding list of priority chemicals that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources “has determined to potentially pose unreasonable risk to public health, workplace and the environment.”
“The mass production of tarpaulin banners and posters for the midterm election campaign will surely add to the plastic pollution that our country is wrestling with. It’s not a simple solid waste issue as these popular campaign materials are laden with toxic chemicals such as cadmium that may negatively impact on our people’s health and the environment,” said Thony Dizon, Ecowaste chemical safety campaigner.
