Eliminating Lead Paint Through the UN Global Lead Paint Alliance
OTTAWA, Ontario — The United Nations International Week of Action on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention took place Oct. 21-26, 2018, and the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA) and its member companies are working globally with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to eliminate lead content in architectural paint and coatings.
For most Canadians lead content in paint hasn’t been a cause of concern for over 30 years because there have been regulations in place to ensure control of lead in paint products. Health Canada is mandated, under the Government of Canada’s Hazardous Products Act and Regulations, to protect Canadians from potential health hazards in consumer products. The following consumer products are specifically regulated for lead content under the Hazardous Products Act: paints, enamels and other liquid coating materials, decorative coatings on pencils and artists’ brushes, liquid coatings on children’s furniture and other articles intended for children, toys, equipment and other products for use by a child in learning or play, glazed ceramics and glassware, and kettles. Health Canada has also developed a Lead Risk Reduction Strategy for Consumer Products to protect children from exposure to lead through consumer products.