The government is conducting a national study on lead contamination and exposure as part of efforts to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals in paint production and safeguard public health. The study will inform the development of a National Action Plan for Lead Risk Reduction and Prevention, officials have said. Lead, a heavy metal long used in paints poses serious health risks when it accumulates in the body or the environment. Children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, which can cause irreversible neurological and behavioural damage, including reduced IQ and learning disabilities. Globally, one in three children is estimated to have some level of lead poisoning. This update was shared as Rwanda marked International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, held from October 19 to 24, 2025. “There is a lack of data and studies on lead contamination, poisoning, and exposure,” said Octavien Ngirabakunzi, Environment and Climate Change Outreach Officer at the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). “It’s crucial to check homes for lead-based paint and ensure that drinking water is safe,” he added. Policy and legal frameworks Rwanda’s legal framework on lead is still evolving and is currently addressed through broader laws on hazardous waste, e-waste, and environmental protection rather than a dedicated lead-specific law. The country has ratified several international conventions governing hazardous chemicals, including the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Rotterdam Convention specifically lists tetraethyl lead as a chemical subject to the prior informed consent procedure. According to REMA, resource mobilisation is underway to support the transition to safer alternatives. “REMA has received funding from UNEP to address lead contamination and exposure,” Ngirabakunzi said. “An interim storage facility for hazardous waste is also under construction.” Legislation and enforcement challenges Despite progress, challenges persist. Rwanda has not yet enacted a final law banning lead in paints—only draft provisions and proposed standards exist. “We want manufacturers to adopt lead-free formulations,” said John Murenzi, Quality Inspector at the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA). “A government-run heavy metals testing laboratory is operational, but stronger capacity and faster testing are still needed. Cross-border importation of lead paints remains a major concern.” Findings from local studies A 2023 study by ARECO Rwanda Nziza found that nearly half of sampled paints contained dangerously high levels of lead. “Of 33 paint cans tested from 13 manufacturers, 46.9 percent exceeded the 90 ppm safety limit, and 28.1 percent had lead levels above 10,000 ppm,” said Vincent Karemera, the organisation’s Programme Manager. The 90 ppm means that if you have a tonne (1,000 kg) of paint, it should contain less than 90 grammes of lead. “The highest detected level—200,000 ppm—is 2,200 times above the recommended limit.” He added that 85 percent of manufacturers tested had at least one paint exceeding the safe threshold. High costs of alternative raw materials and limited awareness remain key barriers to change. Kalisa Callixte, Production Officer at Ameki Color Factory, said the shift from lead to safer compounds between 2009 and 2012 was difficult. “We replaced lead with silicon-based compounds, but the transition required major investment,” he noted. Setting and enforcing standards According to Clement Uwimana, an Industrial Chemistry Specialist at the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), the acceptable maximum lead limit in paint is 90 mg/kg (0.009 percent), equivalent to the international benchmark of 90 ppm. “Since 2018, RSB has provided quality testing services for paints to ensure compliance,” he said. “Pilot studies with the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) and ARECO show that continued monitoring is needed—especially of raw materials, pigments, and demolition debris.” Uwimana emphasised the need for a comprehensive national study to map the full extent of contamination, noting that none has yet been conducted. Regional and global context Across Africa, countries are taking steps to phase out lead-based paints. In Kenya, about 5 percent of the market has transitioned to lead-free paints, while Burundi has achieved around 85 percent and plans to enforce full regulation by April 2025. Tanzania and Uganda are also making gradual progress. “We work with over 250 manufacturers in 25 countries, offering free technical guidance and linking them to suppliers of raw materials with less than 90 ppm lead,” said Laura Silovsky, Programme Manager at LEEP for South Africa, Rwanda, and Zambia. Globally, lead poisoning is estimated to cause one trillion dollars in economic losses each year, largely due to reduced productivity and health impacts.
