IPEN

The European Commission has issued a draft decision to the REACH Committee that would authorize use of two toxic lead pigments in the EU for non-consumer use, despite the availability of well-known alternatives. The decision was made over strong objections from EU governments, industry and NGOs.
 
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), ChemSec and IPEN sent two letters to the REACH Committee calling on the members to reject authorization when it is put to a final vote on July 6th-7th.  In addition, NGOs around the world have signed a letter to the Committee highlighting the potential harmful consequences from such an authorization in non-EU countries, as lead-containing products may be exported to markets where there aren't any safeguards to prevent these hazardous products from being sold to consumers.
 

IPEN and Participating Organization (PO) representatives from Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (Armenia), Greenwomen (Kazakhstan), Independent Ecological Expertise (Kyrgyzstan), Eco-Accord (Russia), Volgograd Ecopress (Russia) and others participated in the recent 8th Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference in Batumi, Georgia (8 - 10 June, 2016). The theme of this year’s Conference was “Greener, Cleaner, Smarter,” and much of its content focused on a green economy. See detailed information here.

IPEN representatives are currently attending the 10th Basel Convention Open-Ended Working Group meeting (OEWG-10) in Nairobi, Kenya. A range of issues are being discussed, including Low POPs Content Values for POPs waste, which is a critical issue for preventing the spread of POPs into consumer products and the environment.

(Taipei City, Taiwan) More than sixty percent of paints analyzed in a new study on total lead in solvent-based decorative paints contained high lead levels, and at least one paint from all eight brands analyzed contained exceedingly high lead levels. The findings are included in a report released today by Taiwan Watch Institute and IPEN. Moreover, most paint can labels failed to carry consumer information about lead content.

“The health impacts of lead exposure on young children’s brains are lifelong, irreversible and untreatable,” said Xavier Sun, Researcher, Taiwan Watch Institute. “We are limiting our children and our nation’s future intellectual development even though safe and effective alternatives are already in use and widely available in Taiwan. We must reduce this critical source of lead exposure to young children.”