Health authorities have warned the public of serious health risks to children due to the use of low-quality pencils and stationery, which may contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals.

Addressing the media, the Head of the Quality Control Unit at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH), Dr. Mahinda Wickramarachchi said these low-quality pencils may contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals and often fail to meet international safety standards.

He further said that these products may contain heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic, which can enter a child’s body through chewing or prolonged use and result in health issues. 

Dr. Mahinda Wickramarachchi warned this could cause children to fall ill, with symptoms such as vomiting, bad stomach, stomachache and headaches. 

The prolonged use of such substandard pencils can also result in Kidney and heart ailments, he further warned.

Dr. Mahinda Wickramarachchi advised parents to inspect the quality of the pencils or stationery being purchased.

He specifically instructed parents to check if the stationery contained the label EN71-3, which was the quality mark of international standards. (Newswire) 

The post Low-quality pencils : Warning for Parents appeared first on Newswire.