Total lead concentration in new decorative enamel paints in Lebanon, Paraguay and Russia

In a joint study by the Department of Environmental Health in Cincinnati, IPEN, Eco-Accord, ALTER VIDA, and Indy Act, lead concentrations in new enamel decorative paints were determined in three countries in different areas of the world where data were not previously available.

The average total lead concentration of the enamel decorative paints purchased in Lebanon, Paraguay and Russia was 24,500 ppm (ppm, dry weight), more than 270 times the current limit of 90 ppm in Canada and in the United States.

Sixty-three percent of these paints contained concentrations greater than 90 ppm. Fifty-nine percent contained concentrations greater than 600 ppm, the current limit in some countries.

The maximum concentrations found were 236,000 ppm in Lebanon, 169,000 ppm in Paraguay and 52,900 ppm in Russia.

An average of 29% of the samples contained exceedingly high lead concentrations, 4 1⁄4 10,000 ppm.

Read the report here.