Refund awaits melamine-tainted milk

Jan	10
2009

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/09/2008 10:40 PM

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At least one distributor of a milk product found to be contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine said that consumers can return unopened cartons to the retailer for a full refund.

“We will collect them and return them to the manufacturer,” said Mike Villanueva of Fly Ace Corporation, which imports Jolly Cow Slender Low Fat Milk, one of the products tested positive for melamine.

Those who have opened cartons can dump the unconsumed milk in the drain, since the melamine in that concentration is not considered an industrial hazard.

To date, three milk brands, including Jolly Cow Slender, have been found to be tainted with melamine.

Though melamine by itself is non-toxic in low doses and forms lethal kidney stones only when combined with cyanuric acid or formaldehyde, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) warns consumers not to apply the milk on the skin or use it as a beauty supplement. It should also not be fed to animals.

To allay fears about poisoning due to improper disposal, the government has formed a "Condemnation Committee" which will be in charge of disposing the tainted milk.

The committee is composed of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Health (DOH), the BFAD, the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation and other concerned agencies.

But for the time being, the BFAD also proposed that unconsumed and opened milk cartons be buried in landfills in compliance with the Clean Air Act.

“Alam ng mga proper agency kung gano kalalim 'yung dapat pagbaunan para hindi nakasama sa environment,” said BFAD Director Leticia Gutierrez.

But the BOC said dumping the milk in landfills requires a long environmental process and is costly.

The BOC said it got the commitment of at least seven milk importers to re-export or ship the seized or voluntarily-returned milk back to China. With a report from Joey Villarama, ABS-CBN News

as of 10/09/2008 10:42 PM