Environment watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition urged national and local candidates for the 2025 midterm elections to tame what it described as a tsunami of cadmium-containing plastic waste through their campaign tarpaulins.

The group specifically mentioned the use of tarpaulins made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which it said, contains cadmium that can be transported to other locations and persist for long periods. 

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), cadmium is a non-essential and toxic element for humans mainly affecting kidneys and the skeleton. It is also a carcinogen by inhalation. Cadmium is accumulated in bone and may serve as a source of exposure later in life.

In the environment, it is toxic to plants, animals and microorganisms as it cannot be broken down into less toxic substances in the environment. 

UNEP said the degree of bioavailability and potential for effects varies depending on the form of cadmium. Cadmium bioaccumulates mainly in the kidneys and liver of vertebrates and in aquatic invertebrates and algae.

“We’ve been seeing the unrestrained production and consumption of plastic tarpaulins with the ‘tarpaulinization’ of the electoral campaign. It seems to be sky’s the limit despite the supposed preference for eco-friendly materials and the legal cap on campaign expenditures. We find this deeply concerning,” said Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator.

To illustrate the problem, the EcoWaste Coalition collected 70 pieces of plastic scraps from various shops in the City of Manila where campaign tarpaulins can be done for as low as P24 per piece, or four pesos per square foot for a 2 feet x 3 feet poster, for a "roll to roll" printing. 

The group then screened the plastic scraps for cadmium using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which detected cadmium in the range of 143 parts per million (ppm) to 415 ppm in all the materials analyzed.

The group also collected campaign tarpaulins of senatorial candidates, 38 out of 62 bets to date, 12 of which will be submitted to a private laboratory for confirmatory cadmium analyses. The test results will be publicly released in due course. 

Under the European Commission Regulation No. 494/2011, manufacturers are prohibited from placing mixtures and articles produced from plastic material with cadmium “equal to or greater than 0.01 percent by weight," or 100 ppm.

The detection of cadmium above 100 ppm in plastic tarpaulins being used by candidates is disturbing, the EcoWaste Coalition said, as these materials would surely end up in disposal sites and the natural environment.

"As there is no policy yet restricting or banning cadmium in plastics, all we can do is to appeal to all well-meaning candidates from the entire political spectrum to moderate their use of tarpaulins, abide by the Comelec's campaign rules, and ensure the judicious use of resources as they woo the electorate to vote for them," said Lucero.