About
The Forum is a platform to bring together a wide range of actors who are typically siloed from each other: academics, multilateral and bilateral donors, national ministries of health and environment, the UN system, professional organizations, NGOs, and the private sector. By providing a virtual space for knowledge exchange amongst stakeholders from a wide range of expertise and backgrounds, the Forum aims to build global awareness to address lead exposure in low-and middle-income countries.
1 in 3 children globally have enough lead in
their blood to cause brain damage
Source: UNICEF and Pure Earth, The Toxic Truth: Children’s exposure to lead pollution undermines a generation of future potential
There is no safe level of lead exposure. Yet, 800 million children worldwide have high levels of lead in their blood. Most of these children live in low-and middle-income countries. Many people and organizations are working to reduce lead exposure. The Forum provides an opportunity to learn from each other. 
Rachael Kupka
GAHP Executive Director
What organizations are doing
Health and Pollution Action Plans
The Health and Pollution Action Plan (HPAP) program of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) is a pollution analysis and prioritization process designed to assist governments of low-and middle-income countries to develop and implement solutions to priority pollution challenges.
Assessing lead content in spices
Between 2008 and 2017, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tested nearly 1500 samples of over 50 different spices from 41 countries.More than 50% of the spice samples had detectable lead, and more than 30% had lead concentrations greater than 2 ppm, with the highest concentrations in spices purchased in the countries Georgia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Morocco.
Barro Aprobado – Lead-free artisanal pottery
Pure Earth Mexico’s Barro Aprobado project is working to raise awareness about the dangers of leaded pottery and to promote the use and production of lead-free pottery in artisan communities in Mexico through lead-free pottery workshops.
Regional Rapid Marketplace Screenings
Pure Earth is conducting Regional Rapid Marketplace Screenings (RMS) in 20+ countries to identify lead-containing products and prioritize countries for future interventions.
Standard Operating Procedures for Environmentally Sound Management of Used Lead-acid Batteries
While processes and technologies for environmentally sound management of lead-acid batteries are available, their uptake and application are still insufficient in many countries. This report by Oeko Institute and partners provides a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that cover key topics relevant for safe and environmentally sound ULAB management, from collection to recycling.
Assessing blood lead levels in Dakar, Senegal
This project of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) works to provide technical assistance and training to the Senegalese government on gathering blood lead level and environmental lead data, as well as strengthen capacity more broadly to identify sources of exposure and conduct interventions for children with elevated blood lead levels. management, from collection to recycling.
Assessing blood lead levels in the Philippines
Recent estimates consider that over 20 million children in the Philippines are exposed to lead. In 2021, Pure Earth Philippines began the first ever inclusion of blood lead level (BLL) testing in the National Nutrition Survey.
All Global Projects photos – © by Larry Price
