MANILA, Philippines — The zero waste advocacy group EcoWaste Coalition on Tuesday renewed its call for the public to “turn off the toxic plastic tap” as it revealed the detection of toxic substances in plastic materials, including tarpaulins.
The EcoWaste appealed after it revealed in a statement that the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic tarpaulins used by senatorial candidates in the recently concluded 2025 midterm elections “were contaminated with industrial chemicals that pose serious risks to human health and the environment.”
According to the laboratory tests commissioned by EcoWaste, all of the 12 tarpaulin samples were analyzed to contain 219 to 736 parts per million of cadmium, way above the European Union’s limit of 100 ppm.
READ: EcoWaste to poll winners: Do away with ‘thank you’ tarpaulins
“Prior to this, the group collected 42 assorted tarpaulins and screened them for cadmium using an X-ray fluorescence device, which detected cadmium above 100 ppm in all the 42 samples. Used as a colorant or as stabilizer in PVC plastic, cadmium, a human carcinogen, exerts toxic effects on the renal, respiratory and skeletal systems,” EcoWaste said.
The zero waste advocacy group also said that another tarpaulin sample was found to contain 90,300 ppm of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, which exceeded the European Union’s limit of 1,000 ppm.
The DEHP, according to EcoWaste, is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical that “can cause birth defects or other reproductive harm, as well as an increase the risk of cancer.”
“The data generated from our investigation has made the invisible toxic chemicals in the widely used tarpaulins visible,” Aileen Lucero, national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition, said during a press conference on Tuesday in Quezon City to mark “Plastic-Free July,” as cited in the statement.
READ: EcoWaste observes less litter inside voting centers during 2025 polls
“Decisive measures are needed to turn off the tap on toxic plastic production to prevent these harmful chemicals from contaminating our bodies, communities, and the natural environment. We call on duty bearers, government regulators in particular, to support the calls for strong local and global regulations to reverse the plastic pollution crisis,” she added.
Interventions to address plastic issues
EcoWaste Coalition’s policy officer, Engr. Glory Rose Manatad, noted the following recommendations to address the threats to human health and the environment caused by plastic materials:
The Global Plastics Treaty, according to EcoWaste Coalition, is still being negotiated by governments to:
