According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) study, lead exposure is estimated to account for 143,000 deaths per year with the highest burden in developing nations. Once notified, the Bureau of Indian Standards would be made the nodal agency to oversee the implementation of its provisions. "Any manufacture, trade, import and export of household and decorative paints containing metallic lead exceeding 90 parts per million is hereby prohibited," said the draft notification published by the Union ministry for environment, forests and climate change on April 8. So far, there is no mandatory regulation on limiting lead content in paints which prompted the government to come up with the proposal. Manufacturers are also required to submit samples to the nodal agency at regular intervals for testing.
According to the draft rules, called Regulation on Lead Contents in Household and Decorative Paints Rules, 2016, the manufacturer or importer of the product is required to label its product, stating that the lead content does not exceed 90 ppm and such labelling shall be durable Auto Gas Springs Manufacturers and legible.The proposal specifies that every paint manufacturer or importer shall have a valid certificate of approval of the nodal agency for the manufacture of the product in India or for being imported into India. The ministry has now invited comments and suggestions from all stakeholders within 60 days.With the excessive use of lead in household paints raising serious health concerns, the environment ministry has proposed a ban on paints with lead exceeding 90 parts per million (ppm).This is being seen as a welcome move in view of the adverse effects the use of paint containing high component of lead is causing to the health of the people.