Ecowaste Coalition

ILANG ORAS NA LANG, WALANG PLASTIKAN NA! 📣

Wala ka pa bang ticket? Secure yours now via ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph or head directly to Ynares Sports Arena 2PM onwards to secure your VIP tickets to WALANG PLASTIKAN 2024!

WALANG PLASTIKAN NA!

Big thanks to our awesome sponsors Sabon Express - The Refill Authority, Pascual Laboratories, and Summit Drinking Water for making this epic night possible!

Kumpleto na ba ang tropa sa tickets? Kung hindi pa, hirit na sa VIP ticket for just ₱150 via ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️💨

See you sa August 16 sa Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City—handa ka na bang magpakawala ng saya with our pinakamaangaas na lineup? Let’s go! 🔥🎶

WALANG PLASTIKAN NA!

Shoutout to our awesome partners—the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Pasig SK Pederasyon for making this epic night possible!

Kumpleto na ba ang tropa sa tickets? Kung hindi pa, hirit na sa VIP ticket for just ₱150 via ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️💨

See you sa August 16 sa Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City—handa ka na bang magpakawala ng saya with our pinakamaangaas na lineup? Let’s go! 🔥🎶

Eto na ang sagot sa inyong mga tanong! Siguraduhing dala niyo ang mga kailangan para tuloy na tuloy na ang inyong access sa Walang Plastikan 2024!

Kung wala ka pang ticket, bili na ng VIP tickets sa ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph o i-secure ang iyong FREE bleachers ticket sa bit.ly/WalangPlastikan24FREE

Seating and entry to all sections are at a "first come, first served" basis.

The EcoWaste Coalition extends its heartfelt congratulations to Yuyun Ismawati on being elected as the new Global Co-Chair for the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN).

As co-founder and Senior Adviser of Nexus3 Foundation, Yuyun has been a key partner in the Coalition's advocacy for a toxics-free future for all, particularly on our work at the regional level.

Selamat berbahagia, Yuyun—or, as we say in the Philippines; MABUHAY!

ISANG ARAW NA LANG, WALANG PLASTIKAN NA! 📣

Para sa mga nakaabang diyan, heto na ang floorplan para makagawa ng gameplan bukas!

May mga water refilling stations rin kami kaya siguraduhing dala niyo ang mga refillable water flasks at tumblers niyo dahil ✨BAWAL ANG PLASTIK✨ kasali na rin ang bottled water.

Kung wala ka pang ticket, bili na ng VIP tickets sa ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph o i-secure ang iyong FREE bleachers ticket sa bit.ly/WalangPlastikan24FREE

Seating and entry to all sections are at a "first come, first served" basis.

PRESS RELEASE | Toxics Watchdog Group Pushes for FDA-Led Summit to Tackle Mercury Cosmetics

Read more: https://bit.ly/3WTFsfg

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The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition has requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to convene a multi-stakeholder summit to tackle the persistent trade of mercury cosmetics across the country.

The group put forward the proposal through a letter submitted today to FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate and FDA CCHUHSRR Director Engr. Ana Rivera by Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition, an environmental health group that has been tracking mercury cosmetics since 2011.

“We write to propose to the FDA, the lead regulatory agency for health products, to convene a multi-stakeholder summit to solve, once and for all, the seemingly interminable trade of mercury cosmetics, particularly skin products for lightening the skin tone,” Lucero wrote.

The group presented its proposal as the international community commemorates the entry into force on August 16, 2017 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a treaty that aims to protect public health and the environment from human activities contributing to global mercury pollution, including phasing out the manufacture, import and export of mercury-added products like skin lighteners.

2 DAYS TO GO, WALANG PLASTIKAN NA! 😎🤙

May ticket at OOTD ka na ba? Siguraduhing nabasa mo na rin ang event rules and guidelines para sa WALANG PLASTIKAN 2024 bago tumungo sa Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City para mapanood ang aming pinakamaangas na lineup!

Kung wala ka pang ticket, bili na ng VIP tickets sa ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph o i-secure ang iyong FREE bleachers ticket sa bit.ly/WalangPlastikan24FREE

is a event! 📣

APRUB! HINDI KONTAMINADO [Alert No. 2024-003] | MPC Classique Water Colors

New samples of a water color set that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned in 2017 for containing lead have screened negative for lead! The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition heaved a sigh of relief after finding MPC Classique Water Colors safe from lead, a hazardous chemical banned in the manufacture of school supplies.

To recall, the FDA through Advisory No. 2017-272 warned consumers against the purchase and use of the said art material distributed by Multiline Products Corp. for containing lead above the 90 parts per million (ppm) limit. Based on the chemical screening conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, no lead was detected on new MPC Classique Water Colors.

This is good news for our young learners as children’s products must not contain lead and other chemicals that can put their health and development at risk. It is not uncommon for a child to put objects in her or his mouth causing unintended ingestion of harmful substances like lead. Thus the need to keep school supplies lead-free.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “there is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects.”

We say yes to toxics-free school supplies for the health and safety of our children!

Disclaimer: This announcement is limited to the lead content of the analyzed products as determined through XRF screening, and does not cover all product quality and safety standards.

PRESS RELEASE | Warning Out on Hazardous and Misbranded Toy Musical Instrument with High Lead Content

Read more: https://bit.ly/4fKtxIZ

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The EcoWaste Coalition raised the alarm against a toy musical instrument that is coated with lead paint in violation of the national ban on the use of such paint in children’s products, which has been in effect since December 31, 2016.

The toxics watchdog group revealed that a Wonderful Music Xylophone that it purchased last Sunday, August 11, for P150 from a store dealer at Divisoria Mall in Manila can be considered a “banned hazardous product” for containing lead in excess of the 90 parts per million (ppm) limit.

The product, which is labeled “made in China,” can also be considered as “misbranded” for failing to provide the mandatory labeling information as required by Republic Act 10620, or the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act, including the license to operate number issued by the FDA and the manufacturer’s and distributor’s markings.

😎💥 Dahil malakas kayo sa amin, mamimigay kami ng 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 para sa pinaka-lit na event this year—ang 2024 happening on August 16 sa Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City!

Mga mhie, 𝙃𝙪𝙬𝙖𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙝𝙪𝙡𝙞!🤘 Para sa mga solid na eco-warriors diyan, eto na ang chance mo para maging part ng isang epic na gabi!

Unahan to, mga besh! Ang FIRST 500 na mag-sign up sa form na ito ang makakakuha ng libreng tickets: bit.ly/WalangPlastikan24FREE

Kaya ano, ready na ba kayo? Kami super ready na! 💚 Let’s make some noise for a kasama ang mga paborito nating kalye artists! See you there!

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Our VIP tickets being sold for 150 pesos have access to all sections (including floor standing) at a first come, first served basis, you can buy them via ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph

Meanwhile, we are giving free tickets with access to a limited bleachers section.

PRESS RELEASE | FDA Bans Another imported Skin Lightening Product With Mercury Content

Read more: https://bit.ly/3WJhtiz

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The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition lauded the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its latest health advisory against a skin lightening product with undisclosed mercury content.

Through Advisory No. 2024-1095, the FDA urged the public not to purchase and use Hua Shu Li Miracle Whitening & Anti-Freckle Set (the product's complete name), which has no valid Certificate of Product Notification, warning "the use of such a violative product may pose health risks to consumers."

“We commend the FDA for its latest action to protect human health and the environment against non-compliant cosmetics such as those contaminated with mercury, a highly toxic chemical with no known safe level of exposure,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition. “Consumers should listen to the FDA and reject unauthorized products with no quality and safety assurance,” she said, noting “pregnant women and children are most vulnerable to the negative effects of mercury exposure.”

Sold by an online seller for P132 per set, Hua Shu Li Miracle Whitening & Anti-Freckle Set contains mercury at levels exceeding the one part per million (ppm) limit under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, the EcoWaste Coalition said.

IN PHOTOS | The Ecowaste Coalition successfully distributed relief goods in Brgy. Bagbag, Quezon City, providing essential supplies to 575 impacted families in the area last August 6.

This initiative was made possible in coordination with the Brgy. Bagbag LGU and in partnership with the Mission Alliance Representative Office Philippines, our partner under the Clean Cities, Empowered Communities project which engages the barangay in the shift towards zero waste communities.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the dedicated volunteers from Bagbag’s BESWM Ambassadors whose invaluable contributions ensured the seamless ex*****on of the distribution. We also extend our sincere gratitude to Pascual Laboratories and the Honor of Kings community for their generous donations which played a crucial role in making this relief effort a success.

The EcoWaste Coalition remains committed to supporting communities in need. Thank you for your continued support and generosity!

PRESS RELEASE | Manila Toy Wholesalers Sell Plastic Nails with Toxic Glue

Read more: https://bit.ly/3WXpodx

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The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste criticized the unchecked sale of unauthorized plastic nail sets marketed for children's use that are sold with a glue containing a hazardous substance restricted in cosmetics and toys.

Based on the market monitoring it conducted yesterday, August 11, toy wholesalers in Binondo, Manila sell various types of artificial nail sets with an accompanying glue listing dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a known endocrine disrupting chemical or EDC, among its ingredients.

Despite the regulations restricting DBP in toys and cosmetics, at least 50 toy stores located at Divisoria Mall and at M. de Santos St. offer the unauthorized plastic nail products, which retailers resell to kids for P5-P10 per set.

Artificial nails with DBP-containing glue are among the cheap toys being sold outside public elementary schools, according to the EcoWaste Coalition's back-to-school toy sampling last month.

PRESS RELEASE | EcoWaste Coalition Marks 5th Year of BPA Ban in Baby Feeding Bottles, Pushes for a Wider Ban on BPA in Food Contact Materials

Read more: https://bit.ly/3M08m8o

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To mark the fifth anniversary of a progressive policy banning bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), in baby feeding bottles and sippy cups, the EcoWaste Coalition again lauded the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its regulatory action while it sought a broader ban on BPA in all food contact materials (FCMs).

Promulgated on August 9, 2019, the FDA through Circular No. 2019-004 banned the manufacture, importation and distribution of infant feeding bottles and sippy cups containing BPA, an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate (PC) plastic, to reduce children’s exposure to BPA and thus protect their health.

Classified as a hazardous chemical, BPA can leach from PC plastic, especially when exposed to heat, sunlight and acidity, and seep into food or beverages in containers with BPA. BPA exposure has been linked to hormonal imbalance, allergic reactions, respiratory irritation, fertility damage, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular and behavioral problems.

To check on the availability of BPA-free baby feeding bottles and sippy cups in the market, the EcoWaste Coalition conducted a rapid market monitoring in the City of Manila. One retail store in Quiapo was found to offer a variety of products marked “BPA-free.” Another store in Tondo also offered “BPA-free” products. However, the same store offered products without any labeling information.

ISANG LINGGO NA LANG, WALANG PLASTIKAN NA! 📣😱

Na-secure mo na ba ang VIP ticket na 150 pesos lang? If not, hurry and grab yours now via ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph! 🏃🏻🏃‍♀️💨

Oo, sa halagang 150 pesos lang, may access ka na sa lahat ng seating and standing sections sa August 16 sa Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City para mapanood ang aming pinakamaangas na lineup!

PRESS RELEASE | EcoWaste Coalition Exposes Illegal Trade of Dangerous Skin Whiteners with Mercury in CAMANAVA Cities

Read more: https://bit.ly/3WBjKMO

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As part of its unyielding campaign to get the ban on mercury-added cosmetics enforced to protect human health and the environment, the toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition went store hopping in the Northern Manila District to check if the unlawful trade of contaminated skin whiteners has ceased or not, particularly in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (CAMANAVA).

“Regretfully, the trade of banned skin lightening products contaminated with mercury in CAMANAVA has not stopped despite the public health warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

“The situation there is no different from what we have seen in other parts of Metro Manila where many beauty product shops and kiosks knowingly defy the ban on unauthorized skin lighteners, particularly those laced with mercury,” she said.

From July 31 to August 4, the EcoWaste Coalition documented the sale of FDA-warned Goree Beauty Cream (three variants) from Pakistan and 88 Total White Underarm Cream from Thailand in at least 29 retail stores: 15 in Caloocan City, six in Malabon City, three in Navotas City and five in Valenzuela City.

IN PHOTOS | The Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), in partnership with EcoWaste Coalition (EWC), conducted a Gender and Development Baseline Data Survey and Learning Session for the solid waste management sector last July 30.

Four Basic Business and Empowerment Skills Training (BBEST) graduates under the Women in Waste’s Economic Empowerment (WWEE) activity implemented by EWC through USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program shared their success stories of building businesses from waste. Their experiences highlighted how waste-to-business ventures have positively impacted their lives and could serve as an inspiration for others.

The data collected from the survey will assist DENR-EMB in identifying gender-related issues and needs and enhancing the planning, implementation, and monitoring of environmental and natural resource projects in the country.

PRESS RELEASE | EcoWaste Coalition Discovers More Reusable Tumblers Coated with Lead-Containing Paints, Urges Authorities to Recall the Tainted Products

Read more: https://bit.ly/46Aa0XK

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Environmental and health watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition has detected lead, a toxic chemical banned in paints, in more stainless steel water bottles or tumblers featuring cute animal characters that are very attractive to children.

The group uncovered lead way above the 90 parts per million (ppm) maximum limit on the yellow paint in the exterior part of the sampled water containers in violation of the DENR Administrative Order 2013-24, or the Chemical Control Order (CCO) banning lead in the manufacture of paints and similar surface coatings.

To protect children from this potential source of lead exposure, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the concerned authorities to recall the lead painted tumblers and stop their further distribution and sale.

Out of the five new reusable tumblers obtained for P259 to P289 each from a retail store in Caloocan City, three were found coated with a yellow paint that can be classified as a lead paint, or a paint with lead exceeding the 90 ppm limit.

IN PHOTOS | The EcoWaste Coalition was happy to host our partners from the Mission Alliance Representative Office Philippines represented by Country Director Karin Riska and Program Adviser Dianne Krizzia Diaz in a visit last July 16 to Brgy. Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, one of the project sites for the "Clean Cities, Empowered Communities" project. They were able to observe the conduct of a pilot door-to-door collection system targeted for wider implementation within the barangay.

Coinciding with the visit was the first session of Pinagbuhatan’s Barangay Ecological Solid Waste Management (BESWM) Planning Workshop conducted in coordination with the Pinagbuhatan LGU through Kagawad for Environment Arcie Lucas and Barangay Chairperson Robin Salandanan. In attendance were members of the Pinagbuhatan BESWM Committee as well as representatives from local educational institutions, the Sangguniang Kabataan, and the Pasig City Environment and Natural Resources Office.

Results of the 3-day workshop will be used to draft an effective, participatory, and data-informed 5-Year BESWM Plan for Pinagbuhatan and is part of the project’s primary objective of establishing barangays Pinagbuhatan and Bagbag in Quezon City as model zero waste communities.

Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition on Monday warned the public against using lipgloss with artificial dye rhodamine B, a harmful substance.

The group said the harmful products are being sold online and in some physical stores in Malabon City.

EcoWaste issued the warning after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 31 advised the public against purchasing Meiya Matte Lipgloss – ME-6058, a China-made product that tested positive for rhodamine B. | Via INQUIRER.net

EcoWaste warns public vs using lipgloss with harmful dye MANILA, Philippines — Environmental group EcoWaste Coalition on Monday warned the public against using lipgloss with artificial dye rhodamine B, a harmful substance. The group said the harmful products are being sold online and in some physical stores in Malabon City. EcoWaste issued the warning a...

🎉 Tuloy na tuloy pa rin tayo, mga bes!

Get ready for the most lit event of the year - 2024! 🎶 Happening on August 16 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City!

Wanna snag those VIP tix? 👀 Grab yours here: ecowastecoalition.helixpay.ph or follow the deets in this post for FREE tickets: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/p4opuB5DbJcyyTKC/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Sabay-sabay tayong manawagan para sa isang kasama ang inyong paboritong kalye artists! 🌍💚

**All previously acquired tickets are still valid. For refunds, DM us with your Order ID from your ticket purchase confirmation

IN PHOTOS | The EcoWaste Coalition promoted an eco-friendly conduct of the Brigada Eskwela at Manila High School (Intramuros), one of the oldest schools in the nation’s capital, last July 22 to cut down on garbage and pollution towards the envisioned zero waste and toxics-free schools.

To further support a healthy and safe learning environment for MHS students, Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc., led by technical marketing manager Cathy Parel, brand marketing assistant Red Magcase and basketball player Luis Villegas of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters donated 50 gallons of lead safe Rain or Shine elastomeric and Alpha Chroma quick dry enamel paints.

The Department of Education has mandated the use of lead safe paint in all pre-school, elementary and secondary schools to prevent and reduce childhood lead exposure.

PRESS RELEASE | Warning Out on Lipgloss with Banned Colorant in Cosmetics

Read more: https://bit.ly/3X0PAUN

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The toxics watchdog group urged the public not to buy and apply a lipgloss product following a public health warning issued by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

In an advisory posted on its website last July 31, the FDA advised the public not to purchase and use Meiya Matte Lipgloss – ME-6058 after it tested positive for banned colorant rhodamine B. The analyzed China-made product with lot/batch number TL20230424ME was manufactured in April 2023 and will expire in April 2026.

According to the market monitoring conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition, this lipgloss product is being offered for sale in some physical and online stores. However, the lot/batch number, production and expiry dates of the items it purchased online and the items it saw in retail stores in Malabon City differ from the product tested by the FDA.