U.S Calls for Global Effort To Eliminate Toxic Lead from Consumer Goods

By Ferdinand Olise

The Embassy of the United States of America, in Abuja Nigeria, said that Administrator Samantha Power has called for more resources and action toward a widely neglected, yet highly tractable issue affecting Children.

According to a statement by the Embassy on Wednesday, Administrator Power who stated this at the World Economic Forum, on 17 January 2024, said one in two Children in low- and middle-income countries suffer from lead poisoning.

Administrator Power emphasised that, globally, lead poisoning kills at least 1.6 million people each year which is more than mortality caused by HIV and malaria combined, with the vast majority of the deaths in low and middle income countries.

“Lead is a potent neurotoxin with no safe level of exposure, and lead poisoning can cause severe brain damage, impairing educational attainment, and reducing future productivity. Lead exposure may account for upwards of one fifth of the educational gap between rich and poor countries, and creates at least a $1 trillion drag on the global economy.

“Despite all of this, funding by donors toward lead mitigation efforts in low and middle income countries amounts to approximately $15 million per year.”, she said.

She therefore advocated for a global drive to support low and middle income countries in rolling out, and enforcing binding regulations to curtail lead in consumer goods, like paint, spices, and cosmetics.

“These actions alone have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, as well as prevent cognitive impairments, and improve educational outcomes for hundreds of millions of Children.
Notably, burgeoning efforts toward removing lead from consumer products are highly cost effective, reflecting an outsized opportunity to save many lives with limited funding”, she said.

According to the statement, Administrator Power is committed to activating USAID’s Missions to champion the phaseout of lead from consumer goods, noting that, with Missions in more than 80 countries, including 51 that are yet to introduce binding regulations on lead in paint, USAID is well-positioned to convene, advocate, and support lead mitigation efforts by partner governments.

Administrator Power had announced that USAID will join the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint, a partnership that has catalyzed legally-binding controls on lead paint in almost 40 countries.
This made the USAID the first bilateral development agency to join the Alliance, where it will partner with other U.S. government agency members like Centre for Disease Control, CDC, and Environment Protection Agency, EPA.

Also, Administrator Power announced $4 million towards lead mitigation efforts to support Local Governments in developing mitigation strategies, and addressing exposure risks, especially among Children who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead.
She also stressed the need to conduct a nationwide survey of blood lead levels in Children in Bangladesh, India, and South Africa.

Meanwhile, USAID’s efforts reflect President Biden, and Vice President Harris’s vision for a lead-free future, and their priority to protect all communities from lead exposure, both in the United States and around the world.