Date:22/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/22/stories/2008102250980200.htm

New Delhi

Use lead-free paint on your walls this Diwali

As Delhiites prepare to celebrate Diwali, they need to ensure that the fresh coat of paint they use on their walls is lead-free.

A study on lead in household paints titled “A brush with toxics” by Toxics Link has revealed that all major brands of paint barring one had very high quantities of lead in them, some as high as 14 per cent.

Shedding light on the study at a conference at the Indian Islamic Centre this past week, author of the study Abhay Kumar pointed out that paint was a major source of lead contamination in the environment and its impact could be very serious. “Lead is a heavy metal, highly toxic, which reduces intelligence for life, especially in children. Contaminated soil is a significant source of exposure to children. Ingestion of contaminated soil, interior and exterior dust and lead-based paint chips are important sources of lead exposure in infants and young children. Childhood lead exposure adversely affects cognitive and behavioural development.”

Arvind Taneja, chief paediatrician at Max Healthcare, said the damages due to lead exposure were irreversible and prevention was the most viable and effective option.

Unresolved

Stating that removing lead from one variant of paints does not resolve the issue, Toxics Link Associate Director Satish Sinha said: “It is too little and too late. It has taken almost 50 years for the paint industry to remove lead from one of its products due to a campaign launched by a non-government organisation. The hazard of contamination continues to plague us as long as lead remains in one or the other products and children will continue to be impacted.”

Central Pollution Control Board Member-Secretary B. Sengupta said lead is a confirmed toxic metal that necessitates its elimination from gasoline. “Before its elimination from gasoline, blood lead levels in children in India were higher than the safe limits. The Central Pollution Control Board intends to eliminate lead from all sources wherever feasible.”

Toxics Link Director Ravi Agarwal said the Government must bring in standards for safe products and also set appropriate mechanisms to ensure implementation of such standards to ensure safety and health of its citizens, a job which cannot be performed by any other agency.

Staff Reporter