International lead poisoning prevention week 2024: Bright futures begin lead free

The twelfth International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) will take place from October 20-26, 2024, under the theme "Bright futures begin lead free." This year's campaign aims to raise awareness of the significant risks posed by lead exposure and the urgent need for action to safeguard children's health. It builds on previous successes, such as the global ban on leaded petrol and the implementation of laws limiting lead in paints, particularly those frequently used in homes, schools, and playgrounds.

The issue of lead exposure: Lead is a well-known toxic substance with harmful effects on multiple bodily systems, including the brain, heart, kidneys, and blood. Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning because they absorb lead more easily than adults, leading to severe and irreversible brain damage that can affect their intellectual development.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation (IHME), over 1.5 million deaths globally in 2021 were linked to lead exposure, primarily due to cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, lead exposure accounted for more than 33 million years lost to disability worldwide.

Despite a growing awareness of lead's dangers and various international efforts to mitigate exposure, lead poisoning remains a pressing concern for health professionals and public health officials. Common sources of lead exposure include:

• Environmental contamination from mining, smelting, manufacturing, and recycling.

• Consumer products, including lead-acid batteries, paints, pigments, ceramics, jewellery, and cosmetics.

• Drinking water contaminated by lead pipes or solder.

Campaign goals and activities: International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is held annually during the third week of October. This year, it marks 12 years of efforts to eliminate lead paint from use. The campaign has several objectives:

• To raise awareness about the health impacts of lead exposure.

• To showcase the initiatives by countries and partners aimed at preventing lead exposure, especially in children.

• To encourage the completion of regulatory actions necessary to eliminate lead paint.

Governments, civil society organisations, health partners, and individuals are urged to organise campaigns during ILPPW.

Policy context: WHO identifies lead as one of the ten chemicals of major public health concern requiring immediate action by Member States to protect vulnerable populations, including children and women of childbearing age. The global elimination of lead in petrol in 2021 and reductions in the use of lead in paints and plumbing have led to a significant decrease in population-level blood lead levels.

However, substantial sources of exposure remain, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Further efforts are crucial to continue reducing lead exposure, particularly for children and women. Key interventions include:

• Banning non-essential uses of lead, especially in paints.

• Ensuring safe recycling of lead-containing waste.

• Educating the public about proper disposal and recycling of lead-acid batteries and electronic equipment.

• Monitoring blood lead levels in children and women of childbearing age to identify those needing medical intervention.

Eliminating lead paint will help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically:

• Goal 3.9: By 2030, reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution.

• Goal 12.4: By 2020, ensure the environmentally sound management of chemicals and significantly reduce their release into air, water, and soil.

Together, these initiatives are critical in creating a lead-free future for generations to come.

Source: World Health Organisation