ISLAMABAD: A new research, jointly carried out by doctors of Aga Khan University Karachi and experts from the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP), has found that 40 per cent of oil-based paints sampled from the market contained dangerous and illegal levels of lead in the paints, seriously endangering health of children.

LEEP is an international NGO and a member of UN Environmental Programme and WHO’s Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint and it works with policymakers and industry to end the sale of lead paints across the world.

Its mission is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning and improve the health of children worldwide. It is currently working with several national governments to eliminate lead paint.

The research said that Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), a regional leader on the lead paint policy, had called on paint manufacturers to urgently remove lead from their products.

The study tested 60 residential-use paints from 21 brands for sale in Karachi and it was found that 40 per cent of the paints sampled contained levels of lead higher than the country’s mandatory limit and above the level recommended by the World Health Organisation. Some paints contained lead levels 1,000 times above the limit set by WHO, the study says.

“Lead exposure has severe negative health impact on children, causing permanent damage to their cognitive development, stunted growth and anaemia. Lead poisoning from paint and other sources is estimated to affect 47 million children in Pakistan, costing the country $38 billion in lost earnings every year,” the report said.

The PSQCA introduced a mandatory standard in 2017, restricting the level of lead in paint to 100 parts per million. The new data would support the PSQCA’s efforts to ensure manufacturers were complying with the compulsory limit.

The AKU and LEEP’s joint research found high levels of lead in nine of the major paint brands, and in eight smaller brands.

Some brands made ‘lead free’ claims despite their paints having high levels of lead. The most harmful paints were typically of yellow and red colours.

“Lead exposure can be caused by various sources, with paint being an important source globally. The study suggests that paint is likely to be one cause of childhood lead poisoning in Pakistan,” it said.

Zain-ul-Abedin, Director General of the PSQCA, said: “The data in this study provides valuable guidance for our enforcement of the country’s compulsory lead paint standards, which exist to protect the masses from harm. We urge manufacturers to swiftly remove lead ingredients from their paint, and we will be taking steps to ensure compliance.”

Dr Lucia Coulter, Co-Executive Director of LEEP, said: “We applaud the government of Pakistan’s leadership on lead policy, and look forward to supporting its enforcement efforts. LEEP is offering no-cost technical support to any partners in the industry who would like assistance in removing lead from their paints.”

According to Dr Zafar Fatmi, Professor of Environmental Health and Climate Change, Community Health Sciences at the Aga Khan University, “Lead is neurotoxic and its even low levels of exposure for children can result in reduced intelligence, lower educational attainment, reduced future earnings, and increased violent behaviour. Lead affects all body systems, also causing anaemia, growth stunting, kidney diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.”

Dr Imran Saqib Khalid, Director of Governance and Policy at WWF-Pakistan, pointed out that Pakistan was estimated to have the second highest known level of childhood lead poisoning in the world.

“Reducing lead in the paint is an effective and low-cost opportunity to improve child health, reduce poverty and contribute to the UN sustainable development goals,” he said.

Dr Durr-e-Amna Siddiqui, Professor of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University, was of the view that lead was not a necessary ingredient in paint. Data suggested that lead is primarily used in Pakistan’s paint as a pigment.

“However, safe alternative pigments are widely available, and many countries have successfully eliminated lead paint. The study showed that some brands in the country have already removed lead ingredients,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023