Amid government’s administrative limitations, Emmanuelita D. Mendoza, DENR supervising environmental management specialist, said DENR will work out on the issuance of a CCO at least for lead which has been ordered under DENR Administrative Order (AO) 2005-05.

The other toxic chemical substances which should be issued CCOs are cadmium compounds, arsenic compounds vinyl chloride, benzene, and chromium.

At present, the Philippines only has a CCO for mercury and mercury compounds, cyanide and cyanide compounds, asbestos, ozone depleting substances (ODS), and polychlorinated biphenyls.

A CCO regulates the use, manufacture, import, export, transport, processing, storage, possession and wholesale of toxic chemical substances in order to minimize their harmful effects on human and nature. It is governed by the Toxic Substances, Hazardous, and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 or Republic Act (RA) 6969.

The lack of inadequate monitoring policies on the use of toxic substances is somehow attributed to the Philippines’ non-industrialized status compared to other developed countries which have already developed their regulations for at least 100 toxic substances.

Lead in particular needs to be regulated as it may cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, and death. Particularly vulnerable to these adverse effects are children six years old or younger who are exposed to lead including deteriorating lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust and residential soil.

The US issued stringent policies against lead after the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found in the 1980s 13.5 million children with elevated blood lead levels. This later dropped to 310,000 in 2002.

Aside from RA 6969, management of hazardous waste should align with other environmental laws like Presidential Decree (PD) 984 (Pollution Control Law), PD 1586 (Environmental Impact Assessment Law), RA 8749 (Clean Air Act), and RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act).