Thailand: Lead in Solvent-Based Paints

From March to May 2023, EARTH procured a total of 55 containers of solvent-based paints—42 decorative paints, six anticorrosive paints, five spray paints, and two industrial paints—from paint stores in Bangkok and its surrounding regions.

Eleven out of 55 analyzed solvent-based paints (20 percent of paints) were lead paints, i.e., they contained lead concentrations above 100 parts per million (ppm, dry weight of paint). On the other hand, 44 out of 55 solvent-based paints (80 percent of paints) did not contain intentionally added lead,1 suggesting that the technology to produce paint without lead ingredients exists in Thailand. 

Ten out of 45 analyzed brands (22 percent of paint brands) sold at least one lead paint, i.e., a paint with lead concentration above 100 ppm. Also, seven out of 45 analyzed brands (16 percent of paint brands) sold at least one lead paint with extremely high lead concentrations above 10,000 ppm. 

This study reveals the presence of highly elevated lead concentrations exceeding 10,000 ppm among yellow paints. In fact, all seven paints with lead levels above 10,000 ppm were yellow paints (18 percent of 38 yellow paints). 

In general, paint can labels did not carry meaningful information about lead content or the hazards of lead paint. Only 22 out of 55 paints (40 percent of paints) provided information about lead on their labels, i.e., “no added lead,” “lead-free,” and “free of lead hazard” claims. Among these, three paints were falsely marked as “free of lead hazard,” “lead-free,” or “no added lead” despite containing 41,000 ppm, 30,000 ppm, and 25,000 ppm lead, respectively. 

Read the full report, below.