China-made spray paint brand contains up to over 100,000 ppm lead, EcoWaste Coalition warns
1 August 2026, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition warned against the continued importation of lead-containing paints, which runs counter to the spirit and intent of the country’s globally recognized ban on leaded paints.
The DENR-issued Chemical Control Order (CCO), a recipient of the prestigious Future Policy Award in 2021 (lead paint elimination category), banned the use of lead and its compounds in paint manufacturing and established a maximum limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) for lead in all paints, including spray paints.
To uphold the lead paint ban, the EcoWaste Coalition is advocating for stricter import bans on non-compliant paints. The group, together with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), wants lead chromates listed as hazardous chemicals under the Rotterdam Convention to regulate the global trade of these toxic pigments and paints.
For its latest exposé, the EcoWaste Coalition purchased six bright colors of China-made Corolla Spray Paint from a local online seller for P80 per 450 mL can. All six paints were manufactured on April 1, 2026.
Consumers are advised to shun paint products with undisclosed lead content.
Based on the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) screening results, the dry samples of naranja, orange, deep yellow, and medium yellow Corolla Spray Paint were all found to contain lead exceeding 100,000 ppm, while the green one contained 8,530 ppm. The Suzuki red color screened at 91 ppm.
In an ironic turn of events, the discovery of more China-made lead-containing paints followed the June 1, 2026 implementation of China’s mandatory national standards, which restricted total lead in architectural and industrial coatings to 90 ppm, the EcoWaste Coalition pointed out.
The standards issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2025 are being implemented by the National Technical Committee on Standardization of Coatings and Pigments.
Paints containing lead above the legal limit would be illegal to manufacture, import, distribute, and sell in the Philippines, which completed the phase-out period for such paints in January 2000.
Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust are major sources of lead exposure among children.
Lead is a highly dangerous poison that damages the brain, nervous system, and other vital organs. Early-age exposure can lead to reduced IQ, attention deficits, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues like aggression and disruptive behavioral patterns.
“There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects,” the World Health Organization (WHO) stated.
The WHO identifies lead as one of ten major chemical health threats, along with mercury, cadmium, arsenic, asbestos, and dioxins.
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https://www.ecowastecoalition.org/leadspraypaints/
https://chemical.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DAO-2013-24-CCO-Lead.pdf
https://www.who.int/news-room/photo-story/photo-story-detail/10-chemicals-of-public-health-concern
