Lead - The Silent Killer

Lead, a heavy metal that is primarily used as paint colour pigment. Lead is also added to paint to speed drying, increase durability, retain a fresh appearance, and resist moisture, which causes corrosion.

Although lead improves paint performance, it is extremely toxic to living organisms especially to children under age six whose bodies are still developing. According to US Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) and US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), lead causes nervous system damage behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity, slowed growth, headaches, hearing loss, stunted growth, reduced IQ, and delayed development. It can cause kidney damage and affects every organ system of the body. Lead is also dangerous to adults as well causing reproductive problems in both women and men, high blood pressure and hypertension, nervous disorders, memory and concentration problems. The most common pathway of childhood lead exposure is through ingestion of lead dust through normal hand-to-mouth contact during which children swallow lead dust dislodged from deteriorated paint or leaded dust generated during remodeling or painting. 

Recalled Lead Painted Toys - USA

Mental health problems are on a surge in many developed cities and medical professional are blaming the causes to high psychological tension and working pressure. In actual case, our community is constantly under the increasing threat of indoor pollutant and LEAD is one of them. Lead is a silent killer because people are exposed to lead in paint from various routes without any notice. Buildings painted with lead paint either on the interior or exterior, furniture & wood millworks may have higher concentrations of lead in the dust. Children are most susceptible to exposure as they have frequent hand-to-mouth contact and play close to the ground where paint dust collects. Children can also be exposed to lead from paint on furniture, toys, playground equipment, and other products. 

Are we safe from Lead in Hong Kong?

It is extremely difficult for Hong Kong consumers to evaluate whether our furniture paint or varnishes, wall paint and door paint are lead-free. USA regulated lead based paint since 1978 but there are still plentiful of paints with significant lead content used in the industry; solvent-based enamel paint is still widely used for painting doors, wood furniture, decorative moldings, toys and industrial applications. Hong Kong does not have a stringent regulation imposed on lead-based paint for residential and school use. Due to cost concerns, majority of our renovation products are manufactured or assembled in China.  

Recalled Lead Painted
Baby Furniture - Canada

A recent study examining lead concentration in paint of 10 developing countries, China being one of them and the results are alarming. 68% of the new paints tested exceed the US standard of 90ppm (effective August 2009). China is one of the countries that has imposed regulation on lead in paint but Lead Levels in New Residential Paint (2006-2009) shows 56% ≥ 600 ppm and 44% ≥ 5,000 ppm. (Clark CS, Rampal KG, Thuppil V Clark R, Roda S. The lead content of currently available new residential paint in several Asian countries. Environ Res 2006; 102:9-12).

How can you minimize your children’s lead exposure?

- Use lead-free paint for renovation and furniture.

- Paint your own children furniture from reputable lead-free paint;

- Avoid solvent-based enamel finishes on furniture, doors, cabinetry, etc.

- Pregnant mother and children should not be present in older homes during remodeling

- Use high efficient vacuum cleaner to remove house dust