Local government units have been urged to sustain the gains of the campaign against the use of lead-based paints and other similar coatings.

Five years ago, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2018-26 “advocating the mandatory procurement of lead-safe paints and the enactment of progressive legislation to that effect by LGUs” in line with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order No. 2013-24 prohibiting lead in the manufacture of paints and similar surface coatings.

While there have been significant developments, non-compliant products are still widely available in the market, specifically those imported from other countries, according to the monitoring by the EcoWaste Coalition and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN). 

In an advisory released on April 14, the DILG asked the LGUs to do the following: 

• Adopt best practices and design and implement a “Lead-Safe Paint Procurement Policy” to ensure that LGUs adopt green procurement policies and incorporate environmental considerations into their procurement processes;
• Ensure compliance with Department of Education Order No. 4, s.2017, on the mandatory use of lead-safe paints in all schools and the observance of proper lead paint abatement and removal to avoid the generation and dispersion of lead-containing dust;
• Consider utilizing locally-produced paint products that meet the government’s regulatory standards, as well as the standards under the Lead Safe Paint® Certification Program of IPEN;
• Promote compliance with other prohibited uses of lead as specified under DENR AO No. 2013-24, such as the prohibition on the use of lead in the manufacturing and distribution process of food and beverage packaging, cosmetics, learning materials, school supplies, toys, and other children’s products, including indoor and outdoor play equipment;
• Promote industrial compliance with chemical control policies and lead-free production practices, as well as public awareness on the debilitating impacts of lead and lead compounds on human health and the environment through information, education, and communication (IEC) initiatives;
• Cooperate with concerned national government agencies regarding compliance with and implementation of established product recall mechanisms and protocols; and
• Participate in the annual celebration of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, an initiative of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance) jointly led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), every last week of October of each year.

DILG regional directors were directed to submit a report to the Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) not later than May 15, 2023, on the initiatives and good practices of LGUs, such as policies and ordinances enacted, inspections of concerned establishments, IEC materials distributed, and orientations and seminars conducted.

The EcoWaste Coalition and IPEN commended the action taken by the DILG, “as this will certainly help in upholding the country’s ban on lead-containing paints.”

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“Other national government agencies were encouraged to follow suit to ensure that children, women of childbearing age, workers, and other vulnerable groups are protected against the harmful effects of lead exposure to paints, dust, and soil containing lead,” the EcoWaste Coalition said.

According to the World Health Organization, lead “is a cumulative toxicant that affects multiple body systems and is particularly harmful to young children.”

“Lead exposure can have serious consequences for the health of children. At high levels of exposure, lead attacks the brain and central nervous system, causing coma, convulsions, and even death. Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with intellectual disability and behavioral disorders,” the WHO said.

“There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects.”