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A Toxics-Free Future

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Public unaware of lead’s toxic properties in paint

http://www.ippmedia.com/?l=82454

By Queenter Mawinda 

National Environment Management Council (NEMC) says the government has no strategies to eliminate lead poisoning in paint, the number one environmental health concern for children globally. 

At present there is the general plan addressing all chemical hazards which are harmful to human beings, NEMC’s Director General Boneventure Baya told The Guardian on Sunday this week 

Lead is a naturally occurring bluish-gray metal found in the earth's crust and was widely used in products such as gasoline, batteries, metal products, crystals, food cans, fishing sinkers and ammunition. 

Most paints contain lead, which is well known for its anti-corrosive properties and has been extensively used in construction industry.  

However, the Executive Secretary and Principal programmes  Officer of Agenda for Environment and Responsible Development  Silvani Mng’anya told The Guardian on Sunday that exposure occurs when lead paints is on the wall, floor  or other  surface chip, wear and deteriorate. 

He says children, while playing, ingest contaminated dust or soil in their through the normal hand to mouth behaviour. Children aged six and under are at particularly at risk. 

He said a young child’s brain undergoes very rapid growth development and differentiation. Lead interferes with the process. 

According to Mng’anya, even low level of lead exposure is untreatable, irreversible and lifelong that later reduces intelligence, increased impulsiveness, aggression and delinquent behaviour and fertility problem in men. 

The human fetus is the most vulnerable and the younger the child is the more harmful the effects will be - hence the need to form strategic plan to address direct lead poisoning. 

According to Baya the chemical compound becomes harmful depending on the quantity that has been used, adding that NEMC intervenes only when the substance pollutes the environment like the ocean and land.  

However, to date NEMEC has received no recorded cases associated with lead polluting the environment. 

Meanwhile, Tanzania Bureau Standard (TBS) who control and regulate chemical compounds decline comment on the matter, saying a court injunction has been issued by painting companies and for that reason they could not dwell on the matter. 

The authority has set voluntary standard, which indicates that lead in paint should not exceed 450 parts per million (PPM) or 0.045 %). 

While a painter Fredrick James says he is unaware of effects linked with the ingredient in the paints, Muhammed Hassan, a Kinondoni resident comments that at the end of his paining job he takes milk to reduce toxin in the body. He admits to have experienced chest pains due to exposure to paints. 

He says they now sensitising the public about the existence of lead in paint and its harmful effects, through a project called African Lead Paint Elimination Project to which there is positive response. 

He urged the public to ask for paints with no added lead and encourage local markets to stock paints with no lead, stressing that producers should indicate ingredient labels to help consumers know the composition of the paint. 

Industrialised countries have enacted mandatory regulations on lead paints to protect peoples’ health. The United Stated imposes an upper limit of 90 PPM on total lead (dry weight) for household paints and many other paints categories. 

Other countries have adopted mandatory limits such as 90 or 600 ppm total lead (dry weight)

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN