A consumer protection and a waste and pollution watch group have urged paint manufacturers to improve product labeling information to assist consumers in selecting paints that are not harmful to health, especially to children, women of child-bearing age and workers.
Laban Konsyumer Inc. and the EcoWaste Coalition issued the appeal as the UN-led International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action on October 22-28 gets underway with a focus on eliminating lead in paints, a common source of childhood lead exposure.
“Paint can labels are an important source of information that will help consumers in selecting products, which are suitable for their needs and which meet safety requirements such as the maximum permissible lead limit,” said Laban Konsyumer president Victor Dimagiba.
“Paint products should provide adequate information about lead and other chemicals of concern on paint can labels, and also provide a precautionary warning that disturbing lead paint creates hazardous dust that is harmful to children, pregnant women and workers,” he added.