Pesticides And Toxins
Energy conservation is a moving target
A decade has passed since the Energy Conservation Act was enacted in 2001.
Inaction discourages positive change in industry
It was in early 2008 that my colleagues at the Centre for Science and Environment had tested household paints for lead content.
Home truths
Modern houses are suffused with harmful chemicals. One of them is lead, present in paints. It is banned in several countries but not in India.
Lead in paints
Modern houses are full of harmful chemicals. One of them is lead, present in paints. Though several countries have banned the use of this substance India is yet to do so, which is why paint makers use them. Inhaling lead dust while performing mundane chores like opening or closing windows is the most common source of lead poisoning. The human body is not designed to process lead. Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead as it can damage the central nervous system and the brain.
CSE Lab Report: Phthalates in Toys
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Delhi NGO Centre for Science and Environment tested 24 toy samples of major brands for the presence of phthalates. In October 2008, it randomly purchased toy samples from markets in Delhi. Fifteen were soft toys and nine hard toys made in four countries.
Toxic toys
We generally take toys for granted but this may no longer be the case atleast not if we are concerned about the health of our young children.
BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful
The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011.
Pesticide regulations
Pesticides are widely used in agriculture without paying much heed to the consequences of its unregulated and indiscriminate use . This fact has been known to our policy makers for nearly five decades. The government is atleast under law supposed to regulate its use. The Insecticides Act of 1968 is a key piece of legislation that is supposed to govern the use, manufacture, distribution, sale and transport of insecticides with a view to lowering risks to human and animal health.
BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful
The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Consumers Welfare Association in 2007, seeking action against the sale of toxic toys in India. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud in September last year, asked the BIS to respond to central government's suggestions on the need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys.
BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful
The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Consumers Welfare Association in 2007, seeking action against the sale of toxic toys in India. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud in September last year, asked the BIS to respond to central government's suggestions on the need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys.
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