PSQCA & LEEF Join Hands To Eliminate Hazardous Lead In Paints

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th May, 2023 ) :Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) joined hands to eliminate hazardous lead in paint causing serious health damage particularly to children, as 47 million children in Pakistan estimated to have lead poisoning.

The PSQCA, in collaboration with LEEP, arranged a workshop on 'Reducing Lead in Paints-Proposal for Paint Manufacturers' held here at a local hotel on Wednesday.

PSQCA Director General Zain Ul Abedin was the chief guest while LEEP's Project Manager Charlie Loudon talked about LEEP's engagements in Pakistan, Khuwaja Ghulam Mohiuddin In charge Chemical Division PSQCA highlighted the paint standardization activities, Engr. Nouman Khaliq briefed the participants about enforcement and certification mechanism of PSQCA.

It was revealed in the workshop that 40 percent of oil based paints in Pakistan were found to contain dangerous levels of lead, in a study by Agha Khan University and LEEP while consumer awareness in this regard is being increased and a global movement is calling for an end to lead in paints.

Addressing the concluding ceremony, the DG Zain Ul Abedin said that PSQCA is working on enforcement on industrial products and at import stages throughout the country for human safety, plant, animal health and environment protection. He added like always, PSQCA is available for industry to provide technical advisory for making their products as per standard to meet international markets.

The DG thanked the participants and said this workshop would ultimately provide maximum guidance to the industry for making lead free paints, he also stressed for arranging training workshops to assist the industry.