FEATURE
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High Lead found in paints, who is responsible?
Source: Toxics Link, Date: , 2019
Lead, a toxic heavy metal is being used in enamel paints to
enhance the beauty of that paint (such as durability, glossiness, antifungal
and antibacterial properties, etc.). But its wide usage may cause many human
and environmental health hazards. Being a cumulative toxicant, it causes Lead
poisoning in humans, thus accumulating in the body and targeting specially our
neurological system, putting young children and pregnant women at a higher
risk.
Research
studies have shown that many paint manufacturers in India phased out lead from
enamel paints in 2009 but still there were some paints which were having very
high lead levels and that was specifically produced by small and medium paints
manufacturers.
The
government of India notified the “Regulation on Lead contents in Household and
Decorative Paints Rules, 2016” on 1st November, 2016 which came into force from
1st November, 2017.
A research study conducted by Toxics Link in 2018
for the SMEs enamel paint samples manufactured after the date of commencement
of the lead in paint rule 2016 showed very high amount of lead in 17 on 20
tested samples. A paint can (SMEs) labeled with ‘no added lead’ also showed the
lead level to be 60 times more than the prescribed standard of 90 ppm. This
left us with the question as to why after the compliance of lead in paint rule
there is still production of lead-based paints in the country, why and who is responsible? Dr. Prashant Rajankar, prashantrajankar@toxicslink.org
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