Listing Lead Chromates Under the Rotterdam Convention
Background
IPEN advocates for stricter global rules to end the trade in lead chromates, the pigments used in lead paint. Lead paints were banned in many wealthy countries decades ago, but they are still widely used in many countries. The WHO says that lead paint continues to be one of the largest sources of domestic exposure to lead in children, and doctors and scientists agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure.
The Rotterdam Convention
IPEN members around the world are advocating for the Rotterdam Convention to list lead chromates as hazardous chemicals that are subject to the provisions of the Convention’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure. Under the PIC rules, companies that export lead chromates or paints that contain them may not ship these commodities to a country that has not consented to receiving them. Further, countries can use the PIC Procedure to restrict or prevent the importation of lead chromates and paints that contain them. Doing so will make it easier for them to enforce their national lead paint laws and this, in turn, will encourage more countries to adopt lead paint controls.
Learn More
Click here for the Rotterdam Convention Powerpoint series.This series of PowerPoint Presentation (in pdf format) is an introduction to the Rotterdam Convention and how it can help speed global lead paint elimination. It explains who can submit a notification, how to go about submitting a notification, and some of the key issues countries wishing to submit a notification need to understand. Individuals needing a .ppt file can contact jeielguarino@ipen.org.
Asia Pacific Coatings Journal: See a summary with a link to IPEN's article in the August 2022 Asia Pacific Coatings Journal, and check back to this page for campaign updates and resources.
See relevant documents:
Controlling Lead Chromate Pigments: the Case for a Rotterdam Convention Listing
Preparing Rotterdam Convention Notification to List Lead Chromates – A Reference and Guidance Paper
Exporting Poison: The Toxic Trade in Lead Chromates (2024)
Initial estimates of trade flows of lead chromates from India