Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead in Paints

The overall goal is to prevent children’s exposure to lead via paints containing lead, and to minimize occupational exposures to lead in paint. The broad objective is to phase out the manufacture and sale of paints containing lead and eventually to eliminate the risks from such paints.

Lead is a toxic metal whose widespread use has caused extensive environmental contamination, human exposure and health problems in many parts of the world. It affects multiple body systems, including the neurologic, hematologic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal system. Children are particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of lead, and even relatively low levels of exposure can cause serious and in some cases irreversible neurological damage.

Recent phasing out of the use of lead in gasoline has substantially reduced human exposure. Lead in paint, however, remains one of the largest sources of exposure globally. Exposure can occur during manufacture and use of lead-containing paint, during renovation, repair and demolition activities, and from the dust created during normal wear of lead paint. Children, particularly younger children, may also ingest lead paint chips from flaking walls, windows and doors.

The International Conference on Chemicals Management at its second session (ICCM-2, Geneva, 11-15 May 2009) endorsed the establishment of a global partnership to promote the phase-out of the use of lead in paint. The partnership, named the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead in Paints, is a voluntary and collaborative relationship between various parties, whether governmental, nongovernmental, public or private, in which all participants agree to work together systematically to attain the overall goal of phasing out the use of lead in paint.

The Global Alliance is open to Governments, intergovernmental organizations and representatives of civil society and the private sector that support the alliance goal. It is open also to any other entity or individual who agrees to work towards the goal of the alliance.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) within their respective mandates and available resources will serve as the Secretariat of the Global Alliance.

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Webinar materials - 9 November 2011