Lead in fall

By: Vanesa Restrepo

For many years the paints and coatings industry used different pigments and mineral substrates in order to prevent corrosion and wear of other surfaces. In marine and industrial maintenance uses one of the most successful was lead minio, also known as lead tetroxide, red lead and azarcon, whose efficiency was rarely questioned until its high degree of toxicity was discovered. This was the reason that led to the regulation of its use in Europe and the United States, where legislation was issued limiting the content of parts per million of lead in coatings.

The change of technologies for more environmentally friendly ones was carried out gradually until, a year ago, one of the main toy companies, Mattel, was faced with legal problems due to the lead present in the coatings that protected some of its products.

It was then that the issue took on more public relevance and many of the Latin American governments decided to give more strength to the projects linked to the control of the presence of minerals and polluting metals in the paints. However, and although the harmful effects on health and the environment are well known, countries such as Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and some others in Central America and the Caribbean still have rather lax policies in this regard, which a fairly wide margin of action for traders and manufacturers who do not yet adopt environmental responsibility programs.

The beginnings
In 1993 Mexico took the initiative and created Standard NOM-004-SSA 1-1993 through which it established the limitations and sanitary requirements for the use of lead monoxide (lithargyrium), red lead oxide (minio) and basic lead carbonate (albayalde). The restrictions of the standard were not so harsh, but it did set a pattern in terms of regulation of the production and use of lead oxides in the industry.

The document established that "red lead oxide may be used as an anticorrosive pigment in paints and coatings for maintenance of ships, platforms, and in general of objects that are in constant contact with seawater, as well as for the coating of structures, posts and installations in general, which are exposed to an aggressive corrosion environment" and prohibited the use of lead monoxide and basic lead carbonate in the composition of paintings or inks that may be in contact with the general public, and specifically with children.

In August 2004 the standard was amended, prohibiting the use of basic lead carbonate as a white pigment for paints, marketing lead oxide, lead monoxide and basic lead carbonate for use in school supplies, furniture, cosmetics, inks and toys, but permission to use the minium in marine paints and industrial structures in constant contact with the sea was maintained.

As a result of these regulations, imports of lead oxides, minium and orange minium fell from 4,000 tons per year in 2007 to 694 tons in 2008, equivalent to -17.3%. In 2007 there was an increase of 77 tons throughout the year, adding imports of US $ 2.6 million, according to the specialized portal The Datamyne. Lead oxides imported into Mexico come from Mexico (45%), Peru (23%), South Africa (14%) and Spain (11%).

This figure is high when you consider that the "manito" country is the fifth largest producer of lead in the world, with 3.6% of global production, according to the World Metal Statistics Yearbook 2008. Thus, it could be expected that total consumption is higher (adding imports with consumption in the domestic market), but there are still no consolidated figures in this regard.

In 2009 this country exceeded the barrier of 400 tons per year and reached 300 tons / year, a record figure, considering that the regulation of lead content in paints is only in force since August 1997. Chilean law requires that paints and varnishes do not have a concentration greater than 0.06% of lead by weight, expressed as metallic lead, determined on a dry basis or total non-volatile content, with the exception of those used in agricultural and industrial equipment and structures, bridges, road demarcation, port works, cars, airplanes, boats, railways and white line.

It should be noted that of the imports, which last year totaled US$827 thousand, 67.6% came from Brazil, 26% from South Africa and 3% from Peru.

Extended restriction
In 2004 Argentina published Resolution 1088 which limited the amount of lead allowed in latex paints. Given the failures and limitations of this regulation and the maintenance of the lead limit in other types of paints, the Ministry of Health of the country decreed in January 2009 a new resolution that prohibits the manufacture, commercialization and delivery free of charge of paints, lacquers and varnishes, containing more than 0.06 grams of lead per hundred grams (0.06%) of non-volatile mass.

The exceptions marked in this case are the same as those implemented by Chile, although it was required that the permitted products carry a label specifying that the product contains lead and that it is harmful to health.

However, despite the measure, in the last three years imports of minium and other lead oxides went from 460 tons to 598, with a value that has always exceeded US $ 1.2 million. The main supplier in this case is Peru, with 65% of the total, followed by Brazil with 33%. The other countries have share rates of less than 1%, according to The Datamyne.

The unregulated
A special place in this article deserves Peru and Colombia, two countries that do not have clear legislation regarding the prohibition of lead in paints for different uses. Paradoxically, these are also the two countries in the region with the highest number of imported tons.

In the case of Peru, 1,210 tons were imported during 2009, which are added to domestic production (it is the fourth world supplier of this material, with a share of 8.8%). Compared to the figures of 2008, imports of the previous year (2009) decreased 7.54%, but the trend compared to past years.

Meanwhile, Colombia has the highest rates of minio imports, with 1,285 tons during 2009, which, however, are lower than those registered during 2008, when 2,619 tons were purchased.

Neither country is processing projects aimed at regulating the lead content in paints. Although it is necessary to recognize that several of the local manufacturers, which maintain regular dialogue with INPRA LATINA, have dedicated efforts to adjust their production to international regulations.