NO CHILD’S PLAY: A 2006 study revealed that PVC used to make soft toys carried high levels of cadmium and lead

Don’t we know that some water purifiers can cause health hazards? Haven’t we heard aerated drinks and bottled water carry residual pesticides that can lead to cancer? And aren’t we aware that the high lead content in soft toys can cause liver damage and disrupt a child’s mental growth?

Most people know about these issues, for they have been taken up by civil society. But does the government pay any heed to them?

“Not really,” rues Rajeev Betne, senior programme co-ordinator, Toxics Link, which in a 2006 study revealed that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used to make soft toys carried high levels of cadmium and lead. “Our government is too lazy to frame relevant guidelines and implement them.”

Though the Union ministry of health and family welfare has constituted a committee to look into the issue, steps are yet to be taken.

“Four years have passed since the study was conducted, but there are no binding standards that stipulate the safe limits of the presence of heavy metal content in toys, plastic or otherwise, locally manufactured or imported,” says Betne. “The issue of safety is left largely to the manufacturer’s discretion.”

The government has its own take on the issue. “The main problem is the frequent transfer of bureaucrats,” says Dinesh Trivedi, minister of state for health and family welfare. “Even before officers can understand an issue and start acting on it, they are transferred to another ministry.”

NGOs and other bodies working on consumer rights and health have been highlighting such issues year after year. But the government seldom takes follow-up action, they hold.

In 2009, for instance, Delhi-based NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) did a study that showed the presence of toxic phthalates in toys sold in India.

“Scientific evidence has shown that exposure to phthalates can cause health problems ranging from asthma to liver damage,” says deputy director Chandra Bhushan. “The government is yet to decide who among the two national standards body — the bureau of Indian standards (BIS) or the department of industrial policy and promotion under ministry of commerce — will set the standards.”

In 2002, CSE came up with a report showing that bottled water contained cancer-causing pesticide residues. On that occasion, however, the government decided to notify new norms. The norms stated that such residues considered individually should not be more than 0.0001mg / litre while total pesticide residues were capped at not more than 0.0005mg / litre.

Every sector has its own complaint. Consumer rights expert Bejon Mishra, who raised the issue of unsafe water purifiers, says the government has no rules to examine the purification process. “High levels of chlorine, such as those used to clean swimming pools, are being used in these purifiers. If chlorine is consumed regularly, it affects the human respiratory system leading to chest pain and water retention in the lungs,” warns Mishra, who took up the issue four years ago.

But no one, he says, governs or regularly monitors the purifiers to see if the chlorine levels are safe. “None of the leading brands has adopted international standards,” says Mishra, the author of Safety issues concerning storage water purifiers.

Sometimes, though, the government does take steps. In 2003, a CSE study revealed that high levels of toxic pesticides were present in aerated drinks. Reacting to it, the government constituted a Joint Parliamentary Committee which led to the enactment of the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 — the first ever law in the country to regulate food standards.

Many laws exist on paper, but aren’t always implemented. Under the Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act, 1954, a person can be fined and imprisoned for six months to three years if found guilty of not complying with government norms.

The CSE is fighting another battle with the government over the concentration of trans fats in vanaspati ghee or hydrogenated vegetable cooking oil. Last year, one of its studies indicated that trans fatty acid content in all vanaspati brands in the country is five to 12 times higher than the prescribed standard for edible oils in countries such as Denmark.

“Trans fats are deadly for health, especially for the heart. They can increase the risk of infertility in women and cause diseases like cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Many countries around the world have regulated the use of trans fats in oils,” says Bhushan.

Reacting to the findings, the MOHFW formed a sub-committee on oil and fats that stated there would be a 10 per cent ceiling on trans fats in vanaspati ghee, and it was opined that the level should be brought down further to 5 per cent in three years. “Since the decision has not gone down well with edible oil companies who want a higher cap of 15 per cent on trans fats, the ministry has invited suggestions from civil society before setting the standards,” says Bhushan.

Steps are still to be taken to deal with the findings of Brush with Toxics, a report prepared by Toxics Links. It states that all household paints in India — plastic, enamel and exterior types — have lead levels above 600 parts per million, an international standard formulated by the United States Environment Protection Agency.

“Prolonged lead exposure affects the nervous system. It may cause weakness in joints, increase blood pressure and at high levels severely damage the brain and kidneys. High lead exposure is also correlated with increased chances of miscarriage in women and sterility in men,” says Bente. “But the government is sleeping on the findings.”

A senior BIS official, however, stresses that a committee is looking into the findings. “We have representation from the industry too. Before forming any regulations and standards, we have to listen to all sides, so it takes time,” he says.

But mere formulation of policies and regulations alone is only half the battle won, say experts. “Even though there are specific standards for pesticide residues, how many of these soft drinks have been tested,” asks R. Desikan, an activist associated with the Chennai-based Consumer Association of India.

If the government drags its feet, consumer and health activists stress that they should ensure their campaigns carry on. “Our job is to put pressure on the government till things fall in place,” says an optimistic Bhushan. “I am with civil society. It needs to put pressure on the government and get work done,” adds minister Trivedi.