Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), and environmental activists have warned paint industries against using a dangerous chemical called Lead, which is known to have severe adverse effects on children's health. Lead is a toxic substance that accumulates in the body, posing significant risks to human health and development, with children being particularly vulnerable. The health and environmental hazards linked to lead in paint have triggered a global effort for its elimination. ALSO READ: Chemical exposure: Unmasking the risks to human health Considerable attention is being directed towards enforcing existing laws that restrict the use of lead in paint, especially in places where children are commonly exposed, such as homes, nurseries, schools, and playgrounds. Children exposed to lead can suffer lasting and profound health effects, particularly on the brain and nervous system, resulting in reduced intelligence, behavioral changes, and learning difficulties. Furthermore, lead exposure can lead to anemia, hypertension, renal problems, immunotoxicity, and reproductive organ toxicity, with effects believed to be irreversible. ALSO READ: Rwanda to invest Rwf7bn in managing ‘hazardous chemical waste’ The call to eliminate the use of lead in paint aligns with the World Health Organization's (WHO) advocacy to reduce or completely eradicate the use of chemicals in paint production. This year, efforts to prevent lead poisoning are being spearheaded by a campaign named End Childhood Lead Poisoning. Emmanuel Gatera, an official at the National Standards Board (RSB) says the government has mandated the use of a maximum of 90 milligrams of lead per one kilogram of paint, adding that it is crucial that paint industries adhere to these recommendations. He further said that they have issued warnings to paint factories found not complying with these guidelines and emphasized the collaborative efforts with EAC countries to ensure compliance with the recommended level. We currently have five paint industries with 25 certified products, and we remain optimistic that they will adhere to WHO recommendations and avoid the use of such chemicals, he said. Gatera also highlighted that there is a paint testing laboratory which was established in 2018 to check for the presence of Lead chemical in paints and urged paint factories to properly dispose of their waste to prevent contamination of water and soil. Vincent Karemera, an environmentalist who works with Association rwandaise des écologistes (ARECO-Rwanda Nziza), noted that lead exposure in adults can lead to increased risks of high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and kidney damage. In pregnant women, high lead levels can result in miscarriages, stillbirths, premature births, and low birth weight in infants. At least one million people globally die as a result of the effects of this chemical, according to the World Health Organization's estimates. We urge schools, especially nurseries, to source paints from certified industries that use lower levels of Lead chemical, as it has a significant impact on children, he emphasized. Dr. Maria Neira, the Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Health at the World Health Organization, stressed the urgency of eliminating lead exposure, highlighting the need for awareness regarding potential sources such as lead in paint and electronic waste. While 93 countries have implemented controls, a collective effort is essential to safeguard children from the harmful effects of lead. Some factories have begun exploring alternatives to the use of the 'Lead' chemical. Marie Chantal Nirere, a paint standards expert at AMACO Paints Factory, mentioned that they have conducted research on alternatives that can help reduce the presence of such harmful chemicals in paints. We have researched alternative products that lower the percentage of Lead chemicals. For places like nursery schools, we recommend water-based paints as they are devoid of lead chemicals. There are other less toxic products than those containing Lead that can be utilized, she said.
