Lead may be present in everything from cookware and cosmetics to paint and plumbing. Yet there is no safe level of exposure to the heavy metal, which causes more than 1.5 million deaths annually and can trigger developmental disorders in children. Lead particles contaminate the air, water and soil, reducing crop productivity and harming biodiversity. Lead also disproportionately harms those in low- and middle-income countries.
Renewed collaboration between governments and the private sector to strengthen policymaking, bolster research and identify non-lead alternatives can curb lead’s toxic toll, experts say. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) plays a key role in one such initiative: the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future. Launched at the UN General Assembly in September, it aims to end childhood lead poisoning by 2040. The push builds upon UNEP’s successful 20-year campaign to end leaded fuel and its leadership in the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint.
“The evidence about the dangers of lead has long been clear. It is unacceptable that we live on a planet where one in three children is affected by lead poisoning,” said Jacqueline Alvarez, Chief of the Chemicals and Health Branch of UNEP. “Collectively, we have made great strides in reducing lead pollution and poisoning from fuel and paint, but this is not enough. We need to enhance regulations, bolster research for alternatives and ensure sound industrial processes and supply chains if we want to protect human health and the environment.”
As the world marks the 12th annual International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, here are four common items that can contain lead and how the toxic substance can be phased out.
Paint
Lead can be added to paint to make it more vivid and moisture resistant. It has historically been used in playgrounds, and on toys and furniture, making young children especially vulnerable.
However, the world is making progress to eliminate lead paint. Some 48 per cent of countries have legally binding controls on lead paint. The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint brings governments, academia, non-governmental organizations and paint companies together to increase the number of laws regulating this globally. UNEP and partners developed a model law and guidance to assist countries in regulating lead paint, as well as lead paint reformulation guidance to help small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Global Framework on Chemicals, a milestone international agreement adopted in 2023, can also help curb the use of lead. It outlines 28 targets to address chemicals throughout their life cycle, including halting illegal trade and trafficking of chemicals and the implementation of legal regulatory frameworks.
Spices
From turmeric to marigold, lead is prevalent in the global spice market. Sellers may intentionally add lead chromate to low-grade spices to increase their vibrancy and economic value. While some countries have reduced lead use in spices through public awareness campaigns and regulations, monitoring and enforcement has often lagged.
The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization have code of practices to reduce lead presence in spices and other foods. Governments can use this knowledge to inform and strengthen lead monitoring networks and national policies. They can also work with health agencies to invest in more frequent blood testing – especially among children – to identify trends and limit sources of lead.
Cookware and tableware
Aluminium cookware can contain dangerous levels of lead and other metals that can leach into food. This lead can be present due to inadequate quality control during production. Some ceramics also have a lead-containing glaze to make them impervious to water. When contaminated food is ingested, lead is distributed to the organs and accumulates over time in the bones and teeth. Young children are particularly vulnerable and may absorb up to 4–5 times as much lead as adults per dose. Despite these risks, aluminum cookware is widely used due to its affordability and light weight.
Improving testing of cookware and other household products in line with stronger regulations could reduce lead exposure, experts say. Governments can also work with the private sector to identify and improve accessibility to safer alternatives, such as stainless steel cookware.
Batteries
The battery industry is the largest lead-using industry. Lead-acid batteries power many vehicles, renewable energy systems and infrastructure, like data networks. As demand for these rises, so does the improper production and management of batteries. Informal workers and communities across parts of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America may be at increased risk of exposure to lead and fume emissions due to inadequate safety or pollution management standards.
To minimize lead exposure in batteries and other products, countries can establish stronger safety regulations and increase funding for proper equipment and facilities, experts say. As the first global public-private partnership on lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries, the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future can offer governments policy and management recommendations to move towards a lead-free future.
Global Framework on Chemicals
Chemicals are a ubiquitous part of modern life and their sound management is vital to prevent and minimize their adverse impact on human and planetary health. The Global Framework on Chemicals presents a comprehensive plan for governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations to manage chemicals and waste sustainably, and support innovation to ensure chemical products are safer by design, with a vision for a safe, healthy and sustainable future.
