paint
lead content. This led to the government introducing
legislation to ban leaded paints in 2010.
Responding to a question from the floor, Prof Mathee
said a Department of Health survey of imported painted
toys had shown that American and European toys
contained no lead. South African painted toys had shown
the highest lead content. “Being locally produced, large
volumes of these potentially dangerous toys are available
so this is an area the Department of Health urgently
wants to target,” she says.
Ashmore urged the paint industry members to take
responsibility for lead content in paint and not regard
the issue as a retail problem. “The government has been
patient with the industry in this regard and it is now up to
us to ensure that leaded paint does not end up on retail
shelves,” he states.
The Department of Health and the Medical Research
Council reacted with dismay last year after learning
from SAPMA that certain paint manufacturers and
retail outlets – including some major hardware
chains – were still not heeding government legislation
regarding lead levels in the paint. Prof Mathee then
urged consumers to buy paint only from retailers who
displayed stickers indicating that they had joined
SAPMA’s lead-free campaign.
Prof Nicky Padayachee, deputy director general
within the Department of Health, has promised that
his department would apply the “full extent of the law”
against those who ignored leaded paint legislation. HA
90
HARDWARE AFRICA 2013