Chemical Review Committee Recommends Listing Toxic Lead Chromate Pigments Under The Rotterdam Convention

Rome, Italy . Toxic lead chromate pigments are still produced, sold, and shipped around the world for use in paint, despite this being a significant source of childhood and occupational lead exposures. Currently, the trade of lead chromates is very hard to track, and even countries that have banned lead paint (for example, in some Latin American countries) continue to receive lead chromates.

On September 16, the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) meeting in Rome unanimously concluded that lead chromates satisfy all criteria under the Rotterdam Convention and recommended them for listing under the Convention. This is a legally binding global agreement that mandates Prior Informed Consent before trade of listed chemicals. When listed, this means that the 168 Parties to the Convention must be notified and must consent before receiving lead chromate imports. A specific HS trade code for lead chromates will also be designated.