International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action

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Lead is a widely used metal that is harmful to human health and the environment. Every year, approximately 800,000 people die of lead exposure, with the highest burden in developing countries. Lead exposure is a major contributor to the development of intellectual disability in children. There is no level of lead exposure considered safe: the neurological and behavioral effects of lead exposure are irreversible. To raise awareness for this issue, this week is dedicated to show the threats of lead to the human body and the environment. 

Take action and promote the dangers of lead to your surroundings. You can follow UN Environment's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts for #BanLeadPaint posts and  engage by liking or reposting to your network. Learn more about global efforts underway to eliminate lead in paint. The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint – led by UN Environment and the World Health Organization – has set the target for all governments to ban lead in paint by 2020. For more information on the harmful effects of lead, watch our videos ( video1, video2 ) or check our various infogaphics: 

• What are the sources of Lead in Paint?
• Who is at risk from Lead in Paint?
• How does lead affect our bodies?
• Lead in paint - What can you do to make a difference?
• The health and environmental effects of lead in paint.