Customs to test P10-M toy shipment for lead

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) placed on hold yesterday five 40-footer container vans that were recently brought in from China.

BoC-Port of Manila-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (PoM-CIIS) officer-in-charge Johnny Martinez said the shipment, with an estimated value of P10 million, was consigned to Playkit Philippines Inc. It arrived on board the ship Stellar Ace.

“We will subject these toys to laboratory tests and if they are unsafe for children due to high lead content, we will place them under the warrant of seizure and detention,” said Martinez.

There have been studies showing that exposure to lead makes children suffer from decreased IQ scores, shorter attention spans and delayed learning. – Evelyn Macairan