Coalition, a staunch advocate for chemical safety and zero waste, will gather
community leaders tomorrow for a timely workshop in Quezon City on household
hazardous substances and poison avoidance.
Spearheaded by the group’s Project Protect, the workshop will be conducted to support
the National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW) under the leadership of the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Society on Clinical and
Occupational Toxicology (PSCOT).
“Young children are particularly at risk of poisoning. It is therefore necessary for parents to be
informed of the dangers lurking in the home, at the kitchen, under the sink, in
the toilet, garage and washing area and even in the bedroom to reduce the
poisoning risk for children,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste
Coalition’s Project Protect.
Resource persons Dr. Erle Castillo,
PSCOT President and Ochie Tolentino, EcoWaste Treasurer will shed light on the
common causes of pediatric and adult poisoning at home and the availability of eco-alternatives
to household hazardous chemicals,
respectively.
On Friday, DOH and PSCOT will organize a day-long interactive seminar around
the theme “Think Before You Drink: Poisons in Our Water” at the Batangas
Medical Center in Batangas City.
By virtue of Proclamation No. 1777 signed in 2009 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the
NPPW is observed every fourth week of June “to increase awareness on the
preventive aspects of poisoning prevention at home, school, work and the
general environment.”
Citing information from the National Poison Management and Control Center, the
EcoWaste Coalition said that for admitted pediatric patients at the Philippine
General Hospital (PGH) in 2014, the top 10 poison agents were kerosene, sodium
hypochlorite, paracetamol, pyrethoid, silver jewelry cleaner, ferrous sulfate,
button battery, chlorine granules in water and hydrochloric acid.
On the other hand, the top ten agents for adult poisoning cases at PGH in 2014 were methamphetamine, ethanol, hydrochloric
acid, sodium hypochlorite, marijuana, silver jewelry cleaner, organophosphates,
paracetamol, chlorine granules in water and pyrethroid.
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