Dangerous level of lead found in decorative paints

A recent study has found that lead in popular Bangladeshi decorative paint brands is much higher than the recommended level.

Lead is a toxic metal that causes adverse effects on both human health and the environment. Children are most vulnerable to lead exposure. A pregnant woman can transfer lead that has accumulated in her body to her developing child. 

It is also transferred through breast milk. Evidence of reduced intelligence caused by childhood exposure to lead has led the World Health Organization to list “lead caused mental retardation” as a recognised disease.

A recent study titled “Lead in solvent based paints for home use in Bangladesh” conducted by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) in collaboration with International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) found that 32 per cent of brands of decorative paints contain lead above the permissible level. ESDO is going to publish the study on November 4. 

From February to April 2021, ESDO collected 63 cans of solvent-based paint sold for home use from stores in Dhaka. The paints represented 26 different brands produced by 21 manufacturers. An accredited laboratory analysed all samples in the USA for their lead content, based on the dry weight of the paint.

Sample of a Bangladeshi paint, which holds 7 per cent market share, contained 1,90, 000 PPM (Parts per million) lead which is 2,111 times higher than the level set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). The second-highest level of lead was detected in another brand which contained 90,000 PPM. Six out of 26 brands (23 per cent of paint brands) sold at least one paint with high lead concentrations above 10,000 PPM. 

“Some companies obtained licences from BSTI for their paint brands according to the standard set by the BSTI, they wrote lead-free on their paint can, but unfortunately a high-level lead concentration has found in their paints. Even, two brands who wrote lead-free remain in the top 10 lead concentration table,” Shahriar Hossain, secretary-general of ESDO, told The Business Post. 

“We believe violators will correct themselves. We did not disclose their names in the report considering their market reputation. However, we will give the names and lead concentration levels to regulatory authorities BSTI, the Ministry of Industries, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as well as the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB),” Shahriar said. 

“Most of the brands in the top 10 are the market leaders among Bangladeshi manufacturers,” he said. 

The size of Bangladesh’s paint industry is over Tk 4,000 crore.

In 2018, BSTI set 90 PPM as the highest lead concentration for decorative home paint. This is also the regulatory limit for lead in decorative paint in India, the Philippines, and the USA.

Yellow colour is more dangerous

This study shows that yellow paints most frequently contained extremely high lead concentrations above 10,000 PPM. In fact, all six paints which contained lead levels above 10,000 PPM were yellow paints. 

“We directed all of our members not to use lead-containing element in the paint. Similarly, we asked the government to increase the income tax on lead-containing elements used in the paint,” Arun Mitra, general secretary of Bangladesh Paint Manufacturers Association (BPMA), told The Business Post. 

“Dryer, and orange and yellow colour pigments; only these three element used in paint contain lead. If the government increases the import duties of lead contained pigments and dryers and encourage lead-free pigments and dryer by reducing tax, it might be a good way to control the spread of lead-containing paint in the country,” he said. 

BSTI should strictly monitor those violating the conditions of their certificate. Consumers are buying those products as they see the BSTI level on the paint cans, he added. 

Johura Sikder, deputy director of BSTI, said exceeding the permissible standard level is a punishable offence. 

“BSTI use the Mobile Court Act 2009 to punish violators. Someone who has obtained certificates but violated the conditions and someone who does not have the certificate but violated the permissible level will face different degrees of punishment. Police can also take action according to the law,” Johura told The Business Post.