KATHMANDU, Oct 31: The Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED) completed International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW), a joint program of WHO and UNEP organized from October 23 to October 29. The program emphasized the urgent need to protect children’s health through taking effective actions to eliminate the use of lead paint.

Various programs were organized on the occasion of ILPPW. A Stakeholder Workshop on Effective Implementation of Lead Paint Standard in Nepal was organized in Birgunj on October 23. The program consisted of participation from 50 representatives from health and academia, including professors, doctors, chemists, local government, provincial government, and central government representatives, paints industry (MNCs and SMEs) among others. Similarly, a radio talk program on Lead Toxicity was organized by one of the top-rated Hello Mithila programs from Radio Kantipur 96.1 MHz.

Likewise, CEPHED recently completed a study of ‘double standard’ with the support of the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN). Some of the Multinational Paints Companies (MNCs) samples were suspected of adopting double standard products in terms of lead contents being sold in different provinces of Nepal. This means that the same paint samples collected from one province contained lead more than standard limits, whereas samples collected from other provinces have got non-detectable (ND) or less than the standard limits of 90 ppm.

Ram Charitra Sah, Executive Director, and Environment Scientist at CEPHED stressed that “Our kids can’t wait another ten years to eliminate lead paint - we need urgent action to stop this poisoning of our children.”

 
• lead_paint
 
• International_Lead_Poisoning_Prevention_Week
 
• Center_for_Public_Health_and_Environmental_Development