When: 23 - 29 October 2022
Where: Worldwide. Register your event.
International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) takes place every year during the third week of October. In its 10th edition, the Week is an initiative of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance), which is jointly led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization.
The focus of this year’s campaign “Say No to lead poisoning” reminded governments, civil society organizations, health partners, industry and others of the unacceptable risks of lead exposure and the need for action. The campaign built on the success in outlawing the use of lead in petrol and the progress achieved by many countries in establishing laws that limit the use of lead in paint, particularly those paints to which children are exposed in their homes, schools and playgrounds.
A range of materials to support campaign activities were made available through the ILPPW website.
UNEP Regional Office for Africa (ROA) participation in ILPPW 2022
The ILPPW event was organized by the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Nairobi. This was a 10-year anniversary of the ILPPW, hence very significant to all in attendance. Dr Faridah Hussein Were from the Chemistry Department was the overall coordinator of the event. In attendance was, Prof. Leonidah Kerubo, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Nairobi as well as Prof. D. K. Kariuki, Chairman, Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi who handed out the canvas art to various organizations as a token of appreciation for their work done to eliminate lead in paint. There was representation from; Toxicology department at the Government Chemist, Occupational Health and Safety, Ministry of Health; Public Health Department and the Center for Environment Justice and Development, National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and UNEP-ROA.
Photo: UNEP-ROA/Alexander Mangwiro | UNEP-ROA certificate of appreciation from the University of Nairobi, Kenya
Mr. Alex Mangwiro accepted the canvas art that was presented to the UNEP-ROA office as a token of appreciation for its efforts in championing the elimination of lead in paint in Africa. Mr. Mangwiro equally shared a presentation with participants, that highlighted the role of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint. In addition, he gave an overview of the countries within the UNEP Africa region that have enacted a Lead paint Law. He reiterated that more needs to be done and can be achieved through collaborative work.
Photo: UNEP-ROA/Alexander Mangwiro | Mr. Aseem Doshi of Basco Paints, represented the Paint Manufacturers (PMs) in Kenya
Mr. Doshi urged other PMs to drop components of paints such as lead, Chromates, butyl oxytol, benzene, and toulene, which have long term hazardous effects on users and the environment. Basco Paints Ltd, has also put plans in place to support the “Green Revolution” by preparing to make all their paints water based in the next 20 years. This is characterised by all their recently launched products being water-based. Basco Paints have launched a water-based varnish which was a ground-breaking innovation because most are oil based.
Photo: UNEP-ROA/Alexander Mangwiro | The 10th ILPPW-2022 awareness walk on 29th October, 2022
In a bid to sensitize and educate the public about the dangers of lead in paint, a walk was organized to mark the ILPPW for 2022, hosted by the Chemistry Department at the University of Nairobi. Present for the sensitization walk were representatives from NEMA, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Academia (students and faculty), UNEP-ROA, as well as staff from Basco Paints. The walk started off at the University´s Chiromo campus, then to the Nairobi central business district and back.
