Six brands of wet wipes are officially banned to be sold in Baguio City for reportedly containing chemical compounds that can trigger allergic and contact dermatitis resulting to skin rash or lesion and other signs and symptoms.
The ban is effective February 21, 2020 after City Mayor Benjamin Magalong signed Ordinance No. 8 series of 2020 prohibiting the sale of wet wipes and other similar baby products with harmful ingredients in all establishments in the City of Baguio.
The ordinance identified six wet wipe brands particularly Dong Bang Baby Wipes, Dong Bang Yao Baby Tender Baby Wipes, Family Treasure Baby Tender Baby Wipes, Sky Fire Baby Tender Baby Wipes, Giggley Baby Wipes and Super Soft Skin Care Wet Towel.
Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan introduced the ordinance after the EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit organization promoting children’s and environmental health, has called upon regulators and consumers against the sale, use and disposal of wet wipes containing harmful ingredients such as methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), methylsothiazolinone (MIT), iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), and parabens.
IPBC was described as a chemical belonging to the family of biocides and has been determined to penetrate the skin of infants and may have an adverse effect on the function of the thyroid gland while MCI and MIT chemical compounds can trigger allergic contact dermatitis.
Aside from the six brands initially banned, the city ordinance will also prohibit similar wet wipe products containing harmful ingredients such as IPBC, MCI, MIT and parabens. The City Health and Services Office (CHSO) in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall update the list of prohibited wet wipe brands and shall determine the appropriate and environment-friendly disposal of confiscated items.
The CHSO in coordination with the Public Order and Safety Division, Baguio City Police Office, and the barangays are tasked to conduct the needed inspections of all grocery stores, black market, supermarkets, and convenient stores, among others, and confiscate the prohibited and non-compliant products as provided in the ordinance.
The CHSO shall also prepare an inventory of all confiscated products to include the name of the establishment, location, type and number of prohibited items or confiscated items, and the mode of disposal conducted.
Individuals or business establishments that voluntarily surrender or submit to the CHSO prohibited or non-compliant products as listed in the ordinance shall not be penalized while violators will be fined P1,000 for establishments with business permit and immediate closure of establishments without business permits for the first offense, a fine of P3,000 for the second offense and a fine of P5,000 and non-renewal of business permit for the third offense. – Jessa Mardy P. Samidan