Half of industrial paints contain high range of toxic metal

Staff Reporter :
The country’s half of the paints for industrial purposes, contain high range of lead, a toxic metal that causes adverse effects on both human health and environment.
Meanwhile, many household decorative paints have still contained lead above the permissible level of 90 ppm (parts per million), according to a study.
Environmental and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) conducted the study styled “Lead in Paints: A significant Pathway of Lead Exposure in Bangladesh,” published at ESDO head office in the city on Thursday.
A total of 63 samples from 39 national and multinational brands were examined under the study. Samples were purchased from Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Bogura. Red, yellow, and golden yellow are the colors of the paints used for sampling.
Of the samples, 68 per cent were of industrial and the rest were of household decorative. Above 50 per cent of the industrial samples had lead above 5000 ppm to 100,000 ppm against standard of 90 ppm.
Above 15.4 per cent of decorative paint samples still had lead above 90 ppm, said the ESDO study, adding the samples were collected and tested in between July and August, 2022. All local and international brands of the country were covered by the study.
The study said 50 per cent of industrial paints, used on cars, toys, metal products, jewelries and etc still have above 90 ppm of lead.
“The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has set a standard of 90 ppm for using lead (Pb) in paints but lead paint is still available in the country,” it said.
It also said, “For industrial paints, a devastating scenario has been identified. 50 per cent of the total samples were identified as having high lead content and the highest 97,000 ppm lead concentration was detected in orange colour.”
“One painting from a renowned brand contained 97,000 ppm lead levels despite having a ‘Lead-Free’ logo. Moreover, no samples were identified as lead-free despite mentioning them as lead-safe,” the study report said.
Prof Dr Md Abul Hashem, ESDO’s Senior Technical Adviser and former chairman of the Chemical Division of BSTI, said, “Lead in paint continues to pose a lifetime and irreversible risk to children in developing nations. To prevent lead poisoning, creating mass awareness is a must.”
Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO, said, “Approximately 35.5 million children have been exposed to lead pollution in Bangladesh. This is a very concerning issue. There is no known safe concentration of lead in blood.”
To reduce lead poisoning more lead (Pb) source has to be discovered and its harmful effects on human health and the environment, she added.
Dr Shahriar Hossain, Secretary General of ESDO, said “We pose threats to our children through lead poisoning by painting our houses to make it look decorative.”
“If the trend continues, our future potential will be in danger. To ensure women’s and children’s health, a sound environment, and a safe future the existing law needs to be implemented properly,” he said.