(CNN Philippines) — An environmental group urged the city government of Manila to prohibit the sale of the poisonous oxalic powder on the streets after police found it in the milk tea that killed two persons.
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Vendors in Divisoria are selling the powder for less than a P100, EcoWaste Coalition said Monday (May 11).
CNN Philippines tried buying oxalic acid and was able to get one at a major drugstore. A 100-gram pack costs less than P30 and has a label warning that it is poisonous.
Those sold in the streets, however, do not have such warning.
EcoWaste’s coordinator, Thony Dizon, said the substance could be mistaken as salt or white sugar if not labeled and stored properly.
Oxalic acid, produced by adding water to the powder, is an essential ingredient in commercial rust-removing products.
This household chemical is also used in removing food and ink stains as well as bleaching wood and stone.
It is also used as a reducing agent in developing photographic film.
Some food like peanuts, wheat bran, spinach, and chocolate are organic sources of oxalic acid. It binds with calcium that interferes with the body’s absorption of the mineral.
It also contributes to kidney stone formation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the lethal oral dose of oxalic acid is 15 to 30 grams.
The Philippine National Police Crime Lab, however, said that about 10 µg/mL (micrograms per milliliter) of oxalic acid is already dangerous.
This chemical is corrosive and its harmful fumes can cause irritation in the eyes and the lungs.
A person who ingested oxalic acid should be immediately given water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider, the U.S. National Library of Medicine said.
