Consumers warned ‘shrilling chicken’ a toxic toy

The Department of Health and environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition have issued a warning this week against the "shrilling chicken toy" being sold in bargain places like Divisoria.

Susan Enriquez in a report in GMA News TV's State of the Nation said that the toy in question has already been banned in certain European countries.

EcoWaste Coalition specified on their website that it has been removed from the market in Luxembourg, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Sweden.

“This squeaky toy, which can be funny and entertaining, contains undisclosed plastic additives that may put kids at risk from exposure to health-damaging chemicals,” Thony Dizon, Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect, said in a statement.

Their tests revealed that the toy contains a 19% and 13% presence of Phthalates di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), well beyond the allowable 0.1% by weight.

Dizon further explained that the use of Phthalates, especially in manufacturing toys, is expressly forbidden.

"Ang Phthalates ay isang klase ng plasticizers na isanasama sa ganitong PVC (polyvinyl chloride) para lumambot. Itong ganitong kalseng chemical [ay] nakakasira sa hormones ng isang tao at nagprorproduce ng disorder sa reproductive at doon sa kaniyang internal organs," Dizon told GMA News.

These chemicals, according to the EcoWaste Coalition website, are also classified as possible carcinogens.

DOH Usec. Agnes Peralta additionally pointed to the lack of proper labels on the toy as another offense.

"Wala itong permit or certificate of product registration — dapat may pangalan ng kumpanya na gumawa o nag-import nito para meron kang hahabulin. Kaya definitely illegal ito," Peralta explained.

Both the DOH and EcoWaste Coailition urged the public to avoid purchasing this toy. —Aya Tantiangco/NB, GMA News