Ban lead in paint

Demanding a ban on lead paint in Bangladesh by 2017, environmental activists yesterday urged the government to take immediate steps to introduce national standard for lead concentration in paint.

Expressing concern about the child health and environment, they also demanded 50ppm as a standard for lead content in paint.

“We must act with urgency as the health of our children can be permanently and irreversibly damaged even at very low exposure to lead,” said Syed Margub Murshed, chairperson of Environment and Social Development Organisation, at a rally before Jatiya Press Club.

To observe Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint Week-2016, ESDO in association with international NGO network, IPEN, and Asian Paints Bangladesh Ltd organised the rally and mobile campaign.

IPEN in its recent report said if there is lead in the paint, the lead then contaminates household dust and soils surrounding homes.

Children ingest lead from dusts and soils, it said.

World Health Organization says there is no safe level of lead exposure.