Lead in Paint:

IPEN Celebrates the ICCM2 Decision to Advance a Global Partnership to eliminate lead from Paint:

ICCM2 Final Resolution on Lead in Paint.
In the relevant section of the omnibus decision on emerging issues (SAICM/ICCM.2/CRP.26), the ICCM endorses a global partnership to promote the phasing out of lead in paints and invites all stakeholders to become partnership members. The Conference requests the partnership to adopt its terms of reference using the draft terms of reference presented to ICCM2 as their basis, and to develop a business plan with milestones for progress in relation to: awareness raising on the toxicity of lead and on alternatives, guidance and assistance to identify potential lead exposure, assistance to industry, prevention programmes to reduce exposure, and promotion of national regulatory efforts. The ICCM further invites UNEP and WHO, within their respective mandates, to serve as the partnership's Secretariat, and the partnership to report back on progress to ICCM3.

(via ENB Report http://www.iisd.ca/vol15/enb15175e.html)

Eliminating Lead in Paint:

Lead is a heavy metal with known impacts on health, especially on children's health. Unfortunately, even though there is wide recognition of this problem, which led to a number of bans of lead in paint across North America and Western Europe over the past 70 years, even today paints are sold with added lead in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This is an avoidable problem, and one with well known and tested safer commercial substitutes.

To investigate the problem globally, IPEN partnered with the Indian NGO Toxics Link in 2008 to test paint for lead in local markets in countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The results confirmed that lead in paint is still being produced and sold, exposing children and communities to this toxic substance.

In parallel, the international community has taken action to build on this NGO initiative. IPEN proposed a Global Partnership to eliminate lead from paint to Forum VI of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) in September 2008. IFCS, through a resolution passed at Forum VI, and the SAICM Emerging Issues Policy process, has endorsed this NGO initiative. Moreover, this issue is one of the four SAICM Emerging Issues set for discussion and cooperative action at ICCM2.

During this process, governments, the private sector, health groups, and other international agencies have joined IPEN and Toxics Link to endorse and confirm the need for a Global Partnership to eliminate lead from paint, which we hope will form at the Second International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM2).

ICCM2 IPEN-Toxics Link Side Event On May 11th, at ICCM2 IPEN and Toxics Link are hosting a Side Event "Eliminating Lead in Paint: a Partnership for Health" that convene a multi-sectoral panel of speakers and present information on:
1- The Problem: The extent of Lead in Paint Globally (by Public Interest & Health Sector)
2 - Solutions: Safer Alternatives on the Market & Industries' Goals (by Paint Industry)
3 - Moving ahead: Making the Global Partnership Succeed (by SAICM Stakeholders)
Questions & Answer: After the panel presentation a question and answer session will follow.

For more information:
See IPEN-Toxics Link submission to IFCS http://www.who.int/ifcs/documents/forums/forum6/meet_docs/en/index.html

IFCS Forum VI Dakar Declaration noting Action on Lead in Paint http://www.who.int/ifcs/documents/standingcommittee/working_groups/post_f6/en/index.html

See ICCM2, SAICM Emerging Issues information on Lead in Paint http://www.saicm.org/index.php?menuid=9&pageid=344&submenuheader=

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  Version: April 2009