Philippine paint manufacturer, Sycwin Coating & Wires, has been declared the world’s first company to have its industrial brand paints certified lead-safe.
Sycwin’s entire portfolio of architectural paints of 10 brands and 590 paint products have been certified under the Lead Safe Paint® standard, an independent certification program that verifies paints with the strictest regulatory limit for lead content recommended by the UN Environment Programme.
The company’s popular PureCoat Premium, WeatherGard, Sycwin, PureCoat Advance, Minnesota, Delaware, Alabama, and Kansas, as well as industrial paint brands Guilder and Illinois, were all certified to contain less than 90 parts per million (ppm) total lead on a dry weight basis.
The current regulatory limit in the Philippines, Nepal, Cameroon, and Ethiopia is a total maximum lead content of 90 ppm for all paints. Adherence to this limit ensures that a manufacturer can sell its paint anywhere in the world. This limit is achievable when a manufacturer does not use lead compounds in pigments, driers, and other paint additives in its products.
The achievement of the Philippine paint manufacturer was announced on October 24 by IPEN, an international non-profit leader on environmental health and chemical safety.
“Despite strong scientific evidence establishing the dangers of lead exposure, paints containing high, unsafe lead levels continue to be sold in many countries, especially in developing countries and countries in economic transition. The leadership taken by Sycwin and other companies will improve the health and safety of communities in the developing world,” said Jeiel Guarino, IPEN Global Lead Paint Elimination Campaigner.
“There is growing education and awareness driving global demand for safer paint products. The lead-safe paint certification will enable customers to make informed choices that will protect their families from the hazards of lead exposure,” adds Nicole Muñoz, Managing Director for SCS Global Services, IPEN’s exclusive third-party certification body.
Michael Sy, President of Sycwin, welcomed the certification, saying, “Our company is extremely proud to receive Lead Safe Paint® certification for all our brands. We are especially proud of the recognition of our leading premium brand, Guilder, as the first industrial paint brand to achieve the Lead Safe Paint® certification in the world.”
“Earning this certification even for our economy-grade paint brands shows our company’s full commitment to protecting the health and safety of the children and families in our community and the environment,” added the chief of Sycwin.
Sycwin’s certification is seen by environmental groups as a winning point for the movement to phase-out leaded paints in the Philippines by the end of the year 2019.
Industry and civil society leaders in the Philippines encourage other paint manufacturers to follow Sycwin’s leadership. Ely Kenneth Ong Sue, President of the Philippine Association of Paint Manufacturers (PAPM), states: “As one of the third-party certification program’s proponents five years ago, we encourage other member manufacturers to take part in this program and support their commitment to ensuring the paints they sell to consumers do not contain added lead.”
“The success of Sycwin in passing the rigorous certification procedures is another proof of the local paint industry’s capability to produce quality products that will protect children from lead-based paint hazards. We hope more products will carry the distinct Lead Safe Paint® logo to help consumers in making a sound choice when buying paints,” says Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition in the joint release of EcoWaste Coalition-IPEN-PAPM-Sycwin-SCS sent to Good News Pilipinas.
CHECK OUT Sycwin Lead-Safe Paints here.
Environmental advocates in the Philippines have been moving to have dangerous chemicals removed from surroundings especially around children whose developing brains are endangered by lead and other toxins. Among these initiatives are making school buses lead-safe, Christmas gift toys, and safe cosmetics.
SEND congratulations and cheers in the comments below to Sycwin and environmental advocates for championing safe environments for the Philippines!
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