An environmental group on Wednesday has urged authorities to look into the sale of five lead-containing spray paints being sold in Metro Cebu cities.

According to the EcoWaste Coalition, the spray paint brands — the yellow Bad Axe Spray Paint which contains 23,080 ppm lead, canary yellow, jade green, Gongcheng orange yellow and deep yellow variants — had 21,610 ppm, 21,500 ppm, 20,040 ppm and 15,700 ppm.

It added that it discovered these spray paints are being sold in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.

"Our discovery of five more lead-containing aerosol paints in Cebu indicates the need for improved compliance monitoring, particularly outside Metro Manila and Luzon, to protect the health of children and adults from this continuing source lead exposure," said EcoWaste Coalition's Manny Calonzo.

These five Bad Axe brand spray paints are being sold each for less than P100 per 400 ml can. As indicated on the label, Bad Axe can be used for coating the interior and exterior wood, steel and other metal surfaces of household appliances, equipment, furniture, bicycles and the like.

"The product has no manufacturer's markings and its country of manufacture is unknown. It provides no information or warning about the paint's lead content," said the group.

However, the product's date of manufacture is indicated at the bottom of the can and all variants of Bad Axe were manufactured between 2021 to 2023, or after the completion of the national phase-out deadline for lead-containing decorative paints in December 2016.

The World Health Organization, which co-manages the Secretariat of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint or the Lead Paint Alliance, has warned that lead exposure can have serious consequences for the health of children.

EcoWaste Coalition added that exposure to lead is known to result in adverse health effects such as damage to the brain and central nervous system, slowed growth and development, hearing and speech problems, learning difficulties and behavioral problems, which can cause reduced ability to pay attention, underperformance in school, and lower intelligence quotient.

The country's lead paint regulation is stipulated under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 2013-24, which established a maximum limit of 90 ppm for total lead in paint.

This landmark chemical policy phased out leaded decorative and industrial paints in December 2016 and December 2019, respectively.