Role of Business

The use of lead in consumer products such as paints, toys, cosmetics, cookware, spices and medicine should be prohibited. In addition to quality control measures, the reformulation of products to remove lead or substitute with safe alternatives is an important step that the private sector can take to prevent childhood lead exposure. For example, the United Nations Environment Programme’s Lead Paint Reformulation Technical Guidelines provide a helpful resource for private sector companies considering the shift to alternatives in paint. Advertising can be used to promote products that do not contain lead. By raising awareness of the private sector’s social responsibility to eliminate the use of lead in their products, consumers will in turn gain a greater understanding of the issue.

The use of lead in industrial applications, such as in batteries and electronics, should not put children and their families at high risk of exposure to lead. Moreover, the implementation and promotion of circular economy solutions can ensure the sound management of the entire life cycle of products containing lead. Companies have created or participated in programmes that ensure that recyclable lead-containing products, such as LAB, are responsibly collected and recycled. Private sector companies using lead in industrial applications should implement and promote similar circular economy solutions and tracking systems.

The following actions should be taken to provide a safe work environment that prevents lead exposure among employees: appropriate industrial hygiene and occupational safety measures; improved awareness of the risk factors among employees and managers; and the elimination of environmentally unsound practices.

Producers in both the commercial and public sectors should ensure the safe management of lead across their supply chains.

Various options can be considered to improve producer responsibility and responsible sourcing throughout the supply chain of a product. In the LAB industry, for example, take-back clauses can be introduced whereby the LAB manufacturer or supplier agrees to collect and recycle the ULAB at the end of its useful life; policies can be enacted of only selling a replacement LAB when a ULAB is surrendered as part of exchange or deposit refund schemes; and discount schemes can be implemented for LAB replacement purchases. The introduction of ‘reverse logistics’ – ULAB collection and return to the LAB manufacturer/importer for recycling when a new LAB is delivered to a retail outlet – can reduce the cost of ULAB collection.

The private sector can promote responsible sourcing and prevent materials entering the market from recyclers who fail to establish controls and processes to protect public health and the environment. Furthermore, the private sector can engage the informal sector in the supply value chain, such as in the collection and segregation of lead-added products, and send these to licensed recyclers. In many low- and middle-income countries, inadequate transportation networks render the cost of collecting and recycling ULAB by formal operators unprofitable. However, informal scrap dealers usually collect more than just ULAB, which can make ULAB collection viable.

The private sector’s adherence to all health, safety, labour, environmental and consumer standards, regulations and laws regarding the use of lead is of critical importance to eliminating lead poisoning. Additionally, the private sector also has a responsibility to encourage continuous improvement in the environmental, health and safety performance, including occupational safety of employees.

Private sector associations play a key role in promoting the environmental, health and safety standards of their member companies. These associations also actively participate in global initiatives to raise the operating standards of producers and recyclers of various lead-containing products in low- and middle-income countries.

Private sector companies that use lead or have substituted lead in industrial applications are encouraged to publish or add to an annual sustainability report. This report would provide information on safe stewardship and other issues pertaining to the health and safety performance of the organization, thus promoting transparency in reporting progress to interested stakeholders.

The private sector can also share technical expertise on accessible, low-cost technologies and services that can detect lead in products, improve human biomonitoring and advise on alternative options.

‘Champions’ in the private sector can influence other business leaders to tackle the issue of childhood lead poisoning in corporate social responsibility programmes. Programmes to improve awareness regarding the dangers of lead exposure and safe stewardship across the value chain can be promoted by educating workers in repair shops, resellers, the informal sector and consumers.