Global report on the status of legal limits on lead in paint
Exposure to lead paint poses significant harmful effects to human health, especially among children. The health effects, which are generally irreversible, can have a lifelong impact. Many countries have enacted controls to address these adverse impacts, but decorative paints containing lead are still widely sold and used in many developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This report provides a global overview on the progress of countries in passing laws and regulations that limit the manufacture, import, export, sale and use of lead paints. It also illustrates a range of legal approaches that attempt to limit the use of lead-containing paint. In so doing, it becomes a valuable reference for countries seeking to establish their own laws and regulations on lead in paint. A global target has been set for all countries to have lead paint controls by 2020. According to this report, only 36 per cent of countries have legally binding limits on lead paint. This suggests a significant gap still needs to be filled to achieve the target on time.