Lead Exposure in Pakistan

Pakistan is estimated to have the second highest known level of childhood lead poisoning in the world. Lead exposure from paint and other sources affects approximately 47 million children in Pakistan, costing the country an estimated $38 billion in lost earnings every year. 

It is unclear what proportion of lead exposure in Pakistan is attributable to lead paint. Rethink Priorities estimates that globally lead paint accounts for ~7.5% of the total economic burden of lead exposure. LEEP expects that the proportion will be higher on average in countries like Pakistan with significant and ongoing lead paint use.

Unlike most other countries LEEP works in, Pakistan already has a legally binding limit on lead in paint. The Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), the national standards body, introduced a mandatory standard in 2017, which restricts the level of lead in paint to 100 parts per million. This is similar to the 90 ppm limit recommended by the WHO and UNEP.

AKU and LEEP’s Paint Study

LEEP worked with Dr Zafar Fatmi and Dr Durr-e-Amna Siddiqui, academics from Aga Khan University (AKU), to conduct a study into the levels of lead in paint in Pakistan. The AKU and LEEP teams tested 60 residential-use oil-based paints from 21 brands for sale in Karachi. Where available, one white and two coloured paints were purchased from each brand.

The study found that 40% of oil-based paints sampled from the market contained levels of lead higher than the PSQCA and WHO/UNEP’s limits. Some paint contained 1000 times the limit. 

The research found high levels of lead in 17 of the 21 brands tested. Some brands made ‘lead free’ claims despite their paint containing high levels of lead. The most harmful paints were typically yellow and red colours.

Results of AKU and LEEP’s paint study, compared to the 100 ppm PSQCA limit on lead in paint

The research was published in February 2023 by F1000, an open access journal, before peer review. 

More than ten media outlets in Pakistan reported on the study and the PSQCA’s response, increasing public awareness of the issue. These included the three leading English language newspapers: Dawn, The News International and The Express Tribune. Dr Fatmi and another of LEEP’s partners, Dr Imran Saqib Khalid, Director of Governance and Policy at WWF-Pakistan, spoke about the issue of lead paint on popular TV talk show, Zara Hat Kay.

Compilation of media coverage of AKU and LEEP’s paint study, February 2023

Government Outreach

In January 2023 LEEP Co-Executive Director, Dr Lucia Coulter, and Dr Fatmi met with the Executive Director of the PSQCA and members of his team, to brief him on AKU and LEEP’s paint study.

The PSQCA swiftly took up the issue, asking LEEP and AKU to present their research at a meeting of the PSQCA’s Technical Committee on Paint and Allied Materials in February 2023. The Committee discussed how LEEP and the PSQCA could work in collaboration with manufacturers to support compliance with Pakistan’s limit on lead in paint.

Dr Lucia Coulter of LEEP and Dr Fatmi of AKU meet with Mr Zain ul Abedin, PSQCA Director General, Mr Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin, PSQCA Deputy Director / Incharge Chemical Division, and other members of the PSQCA team, January 2023

LEEP was also delighted to receive further governmental support on the issue in meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination. 

Together, LEEP and the PSQCA jointly organised a workshop for 29 representatives of Pakistan’s paint industry in Lahore on 17 May 2023. Zain ul Abedin, PSQCA Director General, Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin, PSQCA Deputy Director / Incharge Chemical Division, Charlie Loudon, LEEP Program Manager, and others presented on the health impacts of lead paint, the PSQCA’s regulatory processes, and how manufacturers can remove lead from their paint. At least eight news outlets covered the workshop (see e.g., The News International).

Urdu language news coverage of LEEP and the PSQCA’s workshop for paint manufacturers, May 2023

Manufacturer Engagement

LEEP has met with senior representatives of eight paint manufacturers in Pakistan, to explain the health impacts of lead in paint and offer LEEP’s free support with reformulation (i.e., removing lead ingredients from their paint).

In May 2023, Charlie Loudon, LEEP Program Manager, and Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin, PSQCA Deputy Director / Incharge Chemical Division, presented on the issue of lead in paint at the Pakistan Coating Show, Pakistan’s largest trade fair for the paint industry.

Impact

LEEP is so far aware of ten paint manufacturers in Pakistan now reported to be switching to lead-free ingredients. LEEP expects this number to increase further as it engages with more manufacturers. 

Of the six most popular high-lead brands tested by LEEP, five are now reported to be switching to lead-free ingredients. LEEP’s best understanding is that these six brands are among the top nine most popular oil-based brands in Pakistan, and represent a substantial proportion of the total oil-based paint market.

As LEEP continues to work with more manufacturers, it expects to build up a more detailed understanding of the market. This information will feed into LEEP’s future evaluations of the cost-effectiveness of this program.  

Next steps

LEEP plans to:

• Continue providing technical support to manufacturers seeking to reformulate. 
• Explore avenues to engaging with small-scale manufacturers and advocating to them to reformulate.
• Undertake further lead paint testing, to assess which manufacturers have successfully reformulated and support regulatory enforcement activity.

Acknowledgements and thanks

LEEP would like to thank Mr Zain ul Abedin, PSQCA Director General, Mr Khawja Gulam Mohiuddin, PSQCA Deputy Director / Incharge Chemical Division, and the rest of the PSQCA team; Dr Zafar Fatmi and Dr Durr-e-Amna Siddiqui of AKU; Dr Imran Saqib Khalid of WWF-Pakistan; Dr Zaigham Abbas and Mr Islahuddin of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination; and LEEP Pakistan Program Assistant, Ms Rabia Nusrat.