Sri Lanka to ban high lead content paint

Sri Lanka to ban high lead content paint

The laws are to be strictly implemented from January 01, 2013.

The Sri Lankan government has taken steps to minimize the lead levels in the paint sold in the Sri Lanka.
The Consumer Affairs Authority has published a Gazette order on September 30, 2011 regulating permissible maximum lead content on paints and accessories.
The order specifying the maximum permissible levels of lead is applicable to the imported paint as well as to the locally manufactured paint. The laws are to be strictly implemented from January 01, 2013.

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The Association of Paint Manufacturers of Sri Lanka have agreed to abide by the law and they say that they have already started to maintain the lead levels even below what is specified by Sri Lanka Standards Institution.

The Gazette states that no manufacturer, importer, packer, distributor or trader shall manufacture, import and use or distribute, pack, store or sell or display for sale, expose for sale or offer for sale, wholesale or retail any paints unless such paints shall conform to the corresponding Total Lead Content specified by the Sri Lanka Standard Institution for such paints.

Permissible maximum lead content in paints for toys and accessories for children should be 90 mg/kg (ppm), Enamel Paints 600 mg/kg, Emulsion Paints for Exterior use 90 mg/kg, Emulsion Paints for Interior use 90 mg/kg and Floor Paints 600 mg/kg.