The EcoWaste Coalition has called attention to the unauthorized and unlabeled Labubu-inspired articles proliferating in the marketplace as some of them may contain lead, a toxic chemical.
As businesses take advantage of the soaring popularity of the furry elf toy, unofficial Labubu-inspired items have sprouted all over Divisoria, Manila, the nation’s budget shopping hub, observed the group, which has been monitoring the market for potentially hazardous toys.
Imitation dolls, stuffed toys, key chains, phone accessories, stickers, purses and other products featuring Labubu are offered for sale per piece or in bulk at affordable prices, the group noted.
As expected, the Labubu-inspired products, the toys in particular, are sold without the required authorization and labeling information. Out of the 42 items purchased by the group, five were partially labeled and the rest had no labels at all.
Eight of the 42 items were found to contain lead, a potent neurotoxin, as determined through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) screening, the group reported.
Also, 24 of the 42 items were found to be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which contains hidden toxic additives, including lead used as stabilizers or colorants, and phthalates used as plasticizers.
Lead ranging from 212 parts per million (ppm) to 1,728 ppm was detected on the miniature Labubu PVC plastic toys adorning some of the key chains.
Lead is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “lead affects a child’s developing brain, causing decreased intelligence, behavioral disorders and learning problems which can reduce potential earnings in adulthood,” adding “it also affects almost every organ in a child’s body, including the heart, lungs and kidneys.”
Children are exposed to lead in PVC toys when they put such toys inside their mouth and chew on them. Chronic exposure to lead even at low levels can harm a child’s health over time, affecting the child’s growth, development and future.
Another concern with some plastic Labubu toys are the chemical compounds called phthalates that are used to make the PVC plastic pliable and soft. Phthalates are known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or chemicals, natural or synthetic, that may block, imitate or interfere with the body’s hormones. Children’s exposure to phthalate has been linked to allergies, asthma, abnormal genital formation, and behavioral problems.
Most toys, school supplies and baby stuff made of PVC that were sent by the EcoWaste Coalition to the laboratory for phthalate analysis were found to contain phthalates that are prohibited in toys and childcare articles above 0.1 percent by weight.
To avoid children’s exposure to lead and phthalates in PVC toys and accessories, the EcoWaste Coalition told parents to keep such products out of children’s reach and mouth. Parents were also advised to pick duly labeled and authorized toys for their kids.
An advocate for a zero waste and toxics-free environment, the group further urged the people not to burn discarded PVC products as combustion will lead to the formation and release of byproduct persistent organic pollutants (POPs) called dioxins and furans, which are highly toxic and resistant to environmental degradation.