A recent pollution study has revealed that lead-based paint remains a persistent threat in homes and buildings, despite government efforts to reduce the risks.
Published July 30, the study included laboratory analysis that showed 11 out of 55 samples of paints from 10 different brands contained lead concentrations above 100 parts per million (ppm). This 100-ppm threshold was first implemented by the government on paint manufacturers in 2017.
The study shows seven paints from seven brands contained extremely high lead concentrations above 10,000 ppm. The highest lead concentration detected was 64,000 ppm. The researchers, however, do not provide the names of these sampled paints.
Civic groups carried out the research: the Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH), the Foundation for Consumers (FFC) and the National Institute for Child and Family Development (NICFD), Mahidol University.
Since 2013, EARTH has conducted laboratory analysis with IPEN, a global network against chemical pollution. Samples are sent to an accredited laboratory in the US.
In the wake of the report, questions have arisen. What is our government going to do with the report's findings? Will the government inspect paint manufacturers and enforce laws on those who violate the law?
The toxicity of lead in paint has been known for decades, and countries around the world have imposed bans and strict regulations upon manufacturers, with the US imposing a ban in the 1970s, the UK in the 1990s, and the EU in 2003.
The study conducted by EARTH and IPEN in 2013 showed that 79% of 120 analysed paints sold in the market had lead content above 100 ppm. After 2017, when the government introduced tough regulations, the percentage of sampled paints with lead content above 100 ppm was reduced to 20%.
The percentage of paints with lead levels above 10,000 ppm has further decreased over the past decade.
For this year, 80% of the 55 paints that researchers collected from the market were deemed safe products with lead content below the 100-ppm level. This means that 20% of paints pose a risk to consumer health. It's an improvement, but consumers remain uncertain whether the paints used by home builders and interior designers to paint their buildings are safe.
Lead can cause nervous system damage, stunt growth, damage the kidneys and cause cancer. Such a toxic element has no place in our homes or workplaces.
The World Health Organization warns that each year, an estimated 1 million people die from lead poisoning and millions more, many of them children, are exposed to low levels of lead from lead-based paint in homes, schools, hospitals, and playgrounds. Children can ingest flakes and dust from lead-painted toys or surfaces, or be exposed through lead-glazed ceramics and some traditional medicines and cosmetics.
The government cannot turn a blind eye to this glaring health threat. Responsible agencies, such as the public health and industrial ministries, must start inspecting manufacturers and testing products and inform the public and builders about which paint brands are safe. Manufacturers who break related regulations must be penalised. Without proper inspections and better laws and manufacturing standards, the buildings we work in and the bedrooms we sleep in pose a risk to our health.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).