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CITY BANS “HARMFUL” WET WIPES The city council approved on third and final reading the ordinance prohibiting the sale of wet wipes and other similar products with harmful ingredients in all establishments in the City of Baguio. The ordinance was signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on January 28. Penned by Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, the ordinance cites the EcoWaste Coalition’s warning on the presence of harmful chemical compounds in wet wipes which may trigger skin allergies and may cause contact dermatitis. The EcoWaste Coalition is a non-profit environmental group that envisions a Zero Waste Philippines and addresses climate and chemical safety issues. In their website, the group mentioned six products that allegedly contain harmful chemical compounds such as methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MIT), and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC). These are Dong Bang, Dong Bang Yao Baby Tender, Family Treasure Baby Tender, Sky Fire Baby Tender, Giggley Baby Wipes, and Super Soft Skin Care Wet Towel. The enumerated wet wipes and other similar products found to contain the aforementioned ingredients are now prohibited in the city. “Some of these baby wipes/products were found to be sold at the city’s grocery stores, black market, supermarkets, and convenience stores; and the continued sale of these products supposedly for hygiene is disturbing,” the proposal reads. The City Health Services Office (CHSO), in coordination with the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) and the barangay officials, is authorized to conduct inspection in establishments and confiscate the prohibited products followed by an inventory on the confiscated items identifying the name of the establishment, its location, the type and number of the confiscated items, and the mode of disposal conducted. The CHSO is also enjoined to coordinate with the Drug and Food Administration (DFA) and the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) to identify environmental-friendly modes of disposal of confiscated products. Erring establishments will be fined with the amount of P1, 000.00 for the first offense (immediate closure of business for those without business permits); P3, 000.00 for the second offense (closure of business for those without business permits until compliance); and P5, 000.00 and non-renewal of business permit for the third offense. --- *Photo from EcoWaste Coalition