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Lead content in paints: new standards likely

Reference our news item on lead in decorative paints, Sri Lanka Standards
Institution chairman Dr A R L Wijesekera has sent the following response.

The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) is aware of the current position regarding the
concerns of the general public in respect of the lead content of paints available in Sri
Lanka. SLSI has, accordingly taken the following course of action:-

The Sri Lanka Standards Institution’s Working Group on "Paints" is currently engaged in
the revision of the Standards for both Enamel paints and Emulsion paints. The following
are the Sri Lanka Standards currently available for Emulsion Paints and Enamel Paints.

(i) Emulsion paints for exterior use - SLS 557:2009

(ii) Emulsion paints for interior use - SLS 553:2009

(iii) Enamel paints - SLS 539:11981 (currently under revision)

It may be noted that the Emulsion paints Standards (i) and (ii) above have no
specifications in respect of heavy metal content. The working group is, therefore
engaged in discussions in this regard, with a view to including a suitable specification, at
least in respect of their lead contents.

The absence of such specifications is due to the fact that during the drafting stage of
these Standards, a large number of samples of Emulsion Paints of popular brands
available in the local market were tested in our laboratories with special reference to
their mercury and lead contents.

It was revealed that mercury was present if at all, only in very small amounts (ie an
average level of 1.1 mg/kg) and lead was present in low quantities (i.e. an average of
3.0 mg/kg and a maximum of only 5 mg/kg). On this evidence, the Sectorial Committee
on "Paints" decided that the inclusion of specifications for heavy metals would not be
required.

However, the specifications given in the Standards for Enamel paints, (exclusion usage
for application on automobiles, toys and children’s accessories) included specifications
for heavy metals such as Lead, Cobalt Mercury Chromium etc. Additionally, specifications
given in foreign Standards for paints such as the British, South African, and Malaysian
Standards, were scrutinized for permissible limits for heavy metals, in addition to the
results of the local samples tested by the SLSI before setting limits for the Sri Lanka
Standards. Thus, the Sri Lanka Standard which was issued as SLS 539:1981 was
amended in year 2003 to those specified in South African Bureau of Standards (SABS),
Singapore Standards and results of the samples tested by SLSI.

Table 1

This table, you would note, has included the maximum permissible lead content as 600
 mg/kg.

Current position in respect of Enamel Paints

It has now been decided to revise the current Standard to reconsider specifications for
the permissible maximum heavy metal contents based on safety aspects of the
environment and the health of end users. The available foreign standards on "Paints"
were scrutinized for limits of heavy metals.

Only the Indian Standard IS 133:2004 Enamel paints and the relevant Singapore
Standard SS 77:1998 were available for scrutiny. The former gives a permissible
maximum limits of 5% for lead for defense purposes, while the latter gives a permissible
maximum limit of 0.01 m/m. Action will taken soon, on the recommendation of the
Sectoral Committee, in respect of the permissible maximum limits for the lead contents
of Enmel paints. The draft Sri Lanka Standard for Enamel paints (draft SLS 539:2010)
does not cover automobile paints and paints applied on toys and children’s accessories.

In addition to the standards already mentioned for Emulsion paints and Enamel paints,
SLSI Working Group is currently engaged in the process of drafting a National Standard
for paints "for toys and accessories for children". This would include all categories of
paints used for toys and children’s accessories.

The limits for heavy metal contents in this Standard are based on the limits given in the
BS Standard for safety of toys. i.e. BS EN 71-3:1995

Table 2

You would indeed, note that the permitted, maximum lead content is 90 mg/kg.

Once the above Standard are approved by the SLSI, necessary action will be taken in
consultation with all stake-holders to make the above Standard mandatory or to make
the SLS Certification Mark mandatory, in collaboration with the Consumer Affairs
Authority. Further, the SLSI will also take necessary action ensure that "paints" will be
included as a product in the compulsory Import Inspection Scheme controlled by the
Import Export Control Department and operated by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution,
which would mean that both imported as well as locally manufactured paints of all types,
will necessary have to conform to the respective Sri Lankan National Standards.

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