CPHED launches awareness campaign against harmful effects of lead

Kathmandu, Oct 20 : The Centre for Public Health and Environmental Development (CPHED) has launched a week-long awareness campaign against the harmful effects of lead.

The campaign aims to create pressure for the implementation of the standards for the mixture of lead in paints, for the monitoring of the market in this regard and for the companies to become accountable in the production of lead-mixed paints and its sale, said the organiser.

It also aims to seek ways to control and find out solutions to the rampant use of lead after holding interaction with doctors on the reports that studies show excessive amount of lead in children’s blood, said executive director of CPHED and environment scientist, Ram Charitra Sah.

The standards direct the mixture of maximum 90 ppm lead in paints and clear exhibition of the cover specifying the amount of lead and providing warning about the harmful effects of lead.

On the occasion, Vice President of the Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries, Mohan Katuwal stressed the need for all paint industries to focus on being accountable in the production of paints mixed with lead, its sale, export, import and publicity.

Similarly, General Secretary of the National Consumer Forum, Gobinda Subedi pointed out that consumers are being cheated by an illusionary and extravagant publicity of products.

Chairperson of the Consumer Right Investigation Forum, Madhav Timilsina stressed the need for industrialists and traders to focus on consumers’ health and environmental safety in producing products. Also, senior research officer at the Nepal Health Research Council, Dr Megh Nath Dhimal suggested that concerned ministry and authorities should carry out a study on the harmful effects of lead in children and seek solutions to its control.