Lead in paints poses health risk

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Lead, a potent chemical hazard, is being used in the manufacture of paints in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

The Chief Executive Officer of Akzo Nobel Paints Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Gerald de Saram told a media briefing last week that some of the chemicals used in the paint industry are extremely dangerous.

He said a partnership should be set up among NGOs, businesses and the regulatory authority to monitor the standards in this industry.

He said the public who come in to contact with decorative paints should be aware and be extremely careful of the products they use. Lead is found in decorative paints used in households which were quite different from paints used in industries, on ships, cars and aircraft.

A report published by the International Pops Elimination Network. (IPEN) has said the level of lead in paints produced by Akzo Nobel was even less than the standard set by the network.

He said it was dangerous to use paints with a high percentage of lead. However, most paints contain lead. “But the issue is whether we are able to manage lead to the relevant safety standards when it affects people, especially children. Lead is a toxic substance to which children are vulnerable.

It breaks down tissue cells and causes reproductive problems. You come into contact with lead through paints and automobile fuel emissions. So, these things have to be monitored,” he said.

Meanwhile, a global study conducted for IPEN by Dr. Abhay Kumar of India has found that paints that contain toxic lead have had an impact on 40 million children mostly in developing countries.

The study found that the children were affected by the paints used on walls, on toys and on furniture. Even a study conducted by the World Health Organisation has found lead to be a primary toxic substance.

Saram said they have done away with the wood preservative business despite the company being the market leader in Sri Lanka. “It was said to be harmful to our customers. Profit should not come to us at the cost of harming our customers.”

He said Western companies were more sensitive to quality standards than Asian companies.