The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) joins forces with over 50 countries and organizations to launch the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future at the UN General Assembly in New York. The initiative, co-led by USAID, UNICEF and Open Philanthropy, aims to protect children worldwide from the devastating health impacts of lead poisoning by mobilizing $150 million to accelerate the phase-out of lead in consumer products and industrial practices.
The partnership builds upon the resounding success of the UNEP-led Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV), which achieved the historic global elimination of leaded petrol in 2021 after a 19-year campaign. The PCFV's efforts have helped avoid over 1.2 million premature deaths annually that were attributed to the use of lead in gasoline. UNEP is now working through the PCFV to tackle the dangerously high levels of sulfur still prevalent in fuels in developing countries.
The urgent need for action is clear: one in two children in low- and middle-income countries – over 800 million children in total – have elevated levels of toxic lead in their blood, leading to heart disease, strokes, cognitive deficits and developmental delays. The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future will focus on proven solutions including blood lead testing, stronger regulations, support for safer alternatives, and improved enforcement. Cost-effective interventions in countries like Bangladesh and Malawi have already dramatically reduced lead exposure from spices, cosmetics and paint within a short timeframe.
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