‘Why lead-based paints should be banned’

The Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev) has called on the Federal Government through the Ministry of Environment to immediately draft a regulation that will ban the manufacture and sale of paints containing lead.

The Executive Director of SRADev, Mr. Ane Lesile Adogame, made the call at a briefing in Lagos organized to mark the 5th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action with ‘Ban Lead Paint’ as its theme.

Lead is a toxic metal that has adverse effects on both human health and the environment.

Adogame said lead exposure is harmful to man, particularly children, and that the health effects are generally irreversible - which means it can have a life-long effect.

“Lead is used during the production stage as drying agent for preservation of paint. Unfortunately, lead is a powerful poison, children may become poisoned by putting their hands or other lead contaminated objects into their mouths, eating paint chips found in homes with peeling or flaking leadbased paint,” he said.

He further explained that some of the dangers in the chemical exposure may cause decrease in intelligence, mental retardation and violent behaviour.

He said, “One of our key findings shows that paint with yellow and red colors most frequently contain dangerously high levels of lead - above 10,000ppm - compared to white paint.”

The director implored paint companies that still produce lead paints to expeditiously stop including leaded paint ingredients in the formulation of their product.