Group Alerts the Public as Another Water Color Set Is Banned due to High Lead Content

Artex Fine Water Colors, MPC Classique Water Colors and Xiao Yiren Water Colors banned 
by the Food and Drug Administration due to high lead content.

MPC Classique Water Colors contains lead above 90 parts per million (ppm) as per laboratory analysis by the FDA.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit environmental health group, urged the public to watch out for another art coloring product laden with lead, a health-damaging chemical.  

The group’s advice came on the heels of a new public health warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 29, 2017 against MPC Classique Water Colors distributed by Multiline Products Corp.

According to FDA Advisory No. 2017-272, the said water color set was found to contain lead beyond the allowable limit of not more than 90 parts per million (ppm).

“We advise consumers to pay attention to FDA’s health warning.  Kids in particular should stay away from this unsafe art material to avoid being exposed to a chemical that is known to harm a child’s developing brain,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms, and that previously were considered safe, lead is now known to produce a spectrum of injury across multiple body systems.” 

“In particular lead can affect children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment,” the WHO said.

“Parents should not allow their children to come into contact with lead, especially from a preventable source like school supplies, which, in the first place, should be totally safe from lead and other hazardous substances,” Dizon said.

The group reminded parents “there is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe” as per the WHO. 

The group on Thursday went to Divisoria, Manila to check if the banned water color set has been taken off the store shelves following the FDA Advisory.   

“We managed to buy MPC Classique Water Colors from a store selling school supplies, indicating the need to publicize further and exact compliance to the FDA Advisory ,” reported Dizon.

“It’s important the product is withdrawn from wholesalers and retailers without delay by the company that placed the product on the market,” he said.   

This is the third time that that the FDA has banned water coloring materials since 2014.

The FDA banned Artex Fine Water Colors in 2014, upon notification by the EcoWaste Coalition, due to its high lead content reaching up to 5,089 ppm as per the agency's laboratory analysis.

The graphic designs of Artex Fine Water Colors and MPC Classique Water Colors bear some striking similarities, the group noted.

On August 31 this year, the FDA banned Xiao Yiren Water Color as well as Ultra Colours Jumbo Crayons for containing lead above the regulatory limit of 90 ppm.

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Reference:

http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisori es-2/cosmetic-2/466281-fda-adv isory-2017-272

http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisori es-2/cosmetic-2/458304-fda-adv isory-no-2017-260

http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisori es-2/cosmetic-2/162436-fda-adv isory-2014-044   

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