WHO says lead exposure causes more than 3.5 million deaths a year, with fewer than half of countries controlling lead paint

18 October 2026

The World Health Organization said on Thursday that lead exposure is estimated to cause more than 3.5 million deaths globally each year and affects hundreds of millions of children. The call was issued ahead of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. Although exposure is entirely preventable, fewer than half of countries had confirmed legally binding controls on paint containing lead. Contamination can come from paint, cookware, cosmetics, spices, informal recycling and industrial sources, and there is no known safe level of contact. Lead contributes to cardiovascular and kidney disease in adults and causes irreversible damage to the brain and development of children. Member States have mandated the agency to develop a Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation, which will be presented to the World Health Assembly next year, and the PREVENT Technical Package on Lead Poisoning Prevention will be launched in 2027. Laboratory capacity building is being carried out in Brazil, India, Nepal and six countries in sub-Saharan Africa.