WHO Calls for Urgent Global Action to End Lead Exposure: "No Safe Level"

“There is no safe level of lead,” declared Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO’s Acting Director for the Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration.

As the world marks the 13th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) from 19 to 25 October 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding an urgent alarm: lead exposure remains one of the most widespread yet entirely preventable global health threats. This year’s campaign — under the theme “No safe level: act now to end lead exposure” — calls for immediate, coordinated action by governments, communities, and health systems to eliminate lead hazards and safeguard future generations.

“There is no safe level of lead,” declared Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO’s Acting Director for the Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration. “Every child, in every corner of the world, deserves a future free from the lifelong harm that can be prevented. We call on all stakeholders to act decisively.”

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The Toll of Lead Exposure: Millions at Risk

Lead poisoning continues to exact a devastating toll on human health, particularly among children, whose bodies absorb more lead than adults and are more susceptible to its toxic effects. According to WHO estimates, lead exposure contributes to 1.5 million deaths annually, with most fatalities resulting from cardiovascular disease. Beyond death, lead causes irreversible neurological, cognitive, and behavioral damage, particularly in young children, leading to:

• Reduced IQ and learning disabilities

• Attention and behavioral disorders

• Increased risk of developmental delay

• Higher likelihood of school dropout and social challenges

• Damage to kidneys, liver, and reproductive organs

• Increased risk to pregnant women and fetal development

Alarmingly, even low levels of lead in the blood — once considered "safe" — are now understood to have no threshold below which harm does not occur. The medical consensus is unambiguous: zero exposure is the only safe target.

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Ubiquitous and Persistent Sources of Exposure

Despite advances in regulation, lead remains disturbingly present in many parts of daily life. It is found in:

• Lead-based paints, especially in older buildings

• Contaminated water supplies, often due to aging lead pipes

• Industrial emissions and battery recycling operations

• Household products like cosmetics, toys, ceramics, and spices

• Soil and dust, particularly in urban or mining areas

In lower-income countries, lead continues to contaminate homes, schools, and public spaces, while unregulated industries and informal recycling operations expose entire communities to toxic concentrations of the metal.

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Progress and Remaining Gaps

Major strides have been made over the past two decades, notably the global phase-out of leaded petrol, which led to measurable health improvements worldwide. Yet serious gaps persist:

• Over 100 countries still lack legally binding controls on lead in paint.

• In many regions, enforcement of existing lead laws is weak or nonexistent.

• The health sector often lacks the capacity to screen, detect, and manage lead poisoning, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

• Many communities are unaware of the risks and sources of lead exposure.

WHO emphasizes that voluntary measures are not sufficient. Only comprehensive, enforceable bans on the manufacture, import, sale, and use of lead-based products — especially paints — will ensure meaningful and lasting protection.

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ILPPW 2025: Objectives and Global Participation

Held annually in October, International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week aims to:

• Raise awareness of the devastating health effects of lead exposure

• Mobilize governments, NGOs, and health institutions to adopt and enforce lead-prevention policies

• Promote the elimination of lead paint through legislative reform

• Encourage community-level action, including education and testing initiatives

Countries and civil society groups around the world are encouraged to organize events, such as health screenings, workshops, policy forums, and public awareness campaigns. WHO provides a suite of technical guidance and advocacy tools, and encourages event organizers to register their activities on the official ILPPW website to highlight global solidarity and progress.

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The Way Forward: Comprehensive and Inclusive Action

WHO’s 2025 campaign underscores the need for a multi-sectoral response, urging national governments, industry stakeholders, and community leaders to:

• Implement and enforce lead paint bans

• Establish national surveillance and monitoring systems

• Support testing in schools and homes, especially in high-risk areas

• Raise public awareness about hidden sources of lead

• Provide medical support and education to health workers

• Integrate lead risk assessments into housing, infrastructure, and environmental planning

Special attention must be given to marginalized and vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, low-income communities, and informal workers.

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Lead Exposure Is Preventable — The Time to Act Is Now

The science is clear. The tools exist. And the moral imperative is undeniable.

Ending lead poisoning is not only possible — it is within our reach, said WHO. But achieving it will require bold political will, strong regulation, and a deep commitment to protecting the health of the most vulnerable.

This ILPPW, WHO calls on all nations and communities to step up, speak out, and “Act now to end lead exposure.” The future of millions of children — and the integrity of our environments — depends on it.