Dar es Salaam. Although serving as low-cost alternatives for traders, the widespread use of printed paper for packaging consumer goods is highly hazardous because toxic chemicals threaten public health and trigger personal data leaks.
Medical experts warn that printing ink used on these materials frequently contains chemical compounds that are totally unsuitable for direct food contact, posing severe risks to human health.
Speaking to The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, a specialist from the Department of Internal Medicine Training and Research at the Mbeya Referral Zonal Hospital, Dr Ernest Winchislaus, noted that such paper use persists due to accessibility and minimal costs.
He explained that ink-printed sheets contain chemicals not intended for direct contact with food, which can cause severe adverse health effects if used continuously for everyday food packaging.
"The greatest risk arises when the food is hot or greasy, because specific chemicals within the ink can easily migrate from the wrapper into the food and ultimately enter the human body," said Dr Winchislaus.
The physician added that old documents or newspapers can also serve as vectors for dirt and dangerous pathogens, having been handled by numerous individuals or stored in highly unhygienic conditions.
He urged traders and citizens to adopt packaging materials specifically manufactured for culinary purposes, such as food-grade wrapping paper, certified boxes, glass containers, stainless steel, or approved quality plastics.
"Not every paper material is suitable for food packaging. Society must understand that choosing the correct wrapper is a fundamental part of safeguarding consumer health," he noted.
Packaging quality
A paper packaging manufacturer based in Dar es Salaam, Mr Alod Shambalai, said many vendors prefer plain paper because standard newspapers are light, tear easily, and are completely unsuitable for wrapping greasy or watery meals.
He noted that for oily foods, the print on old newspapers regularly transfers onto the food, making both traders and customers highly reluctant to utilise such hazardous materials.
"These newspapers are extremely soft. If used to wrap greasy food, they rapidly absorb the oil, and sometimes the printed text appears directly on the food. Furthermore, they tear quickly when exposed to moisture," he said.
Data storage
Under the Personal Data Protection Act No. 11 of 2022, every institution processing personal data is legally required to appoint a trained personal data protection officer (DPO) to oversee absolute compliance in the collection, usage, storage, and safe destruction of records.
Education needed
An anonymous personal data protection expert highlighted that the primary challenge facing the sector is low public awareness among citizens and institutions regarding the provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act.
"Many individuals still do not comprehend that personal information must be protected at all times, even long after the respective documents have outlived their primary organisational utility," he said.
He noted that official documents containing confidential data of customers, patients, or corporate staff are routinely printed and used in offices, but are subsequently discarded without undergoing secure destruction procedures.
"Available evidence reveals that some papers used to wrap retail goods still display identifiable personal data. Therefore, sustained education is vital for institutions collecting public data, including hotels, private companies, and statutory bodies," he added.
A guest house supervisor, Mr Edmund Komba, explained that the physical logbooks they utilise to register visitors typically last for one year, depending entirely on the volume of daily customers.
"Sometimes we mistakenly discard these registers by handing them over to waste collectors or cleaners after they fill up, since we close the old files annually and open fresh ones," confessed Mr Komba.
For her part, an office supplies trader, Ms Jackline Henry, noted that receiving education on personal data safety prompted her to completely alter the manner in which she disposes of spoiled documents.
"I used to accumulate a lot of paper, including sheets containing sensitive information like misprinted academic certificates, but I now personally shred and burn them to guarantee destruction," she said.
She added that attending several sensitisation forums organised by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) helped her realise that even a single scrap of paper can expose vital personal information.
Register to begin your journey to our premium contentSubscribe for full access to premium content
