PPG Criticized for Selling Leaded Paint in Cameroon
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is being criticized for producing and selling leaded house paint in the African country of Cameroon. Company officials say they stopped leaded residential paint productions last year. But industrial leaded paint, which has little distinction from house paint in Cameroon, is still being produced and sold there. The Allegheny Frontís Kate Malongowski has more.
Transcript
MALONGOWSKI: The San Francisco-based health advocacy group Occupational Knowledge studied leaded paint production in Cameroon.
Executive Director Perry Gottsfield says that in addition to the lack of distinction between house paint and industrial paint, he says paint cans being sold there that contain lead are not clearly marked.
GOTTSFIELD: There are no labels to indicate that there is lead in these products. And there are no discernible dates on these products, so thereís no way for the consumer to know about whether these contain lead or not.
MALONGOWSKI: In another study, other PPG affiliates have sold lead-based paint in Senegal and South Africa.
PPG Spokesperson Jeremy Neuhart e-mailed a brief statement. He said that in house paint, the company now follows the same standard that has been used in the United States since 2008, at no more than 90 parts per million of lead in consumer products. Also, he said Cameroon does not have a law regulating lead limits, but PPG would comply with laws if such a regulation if enacted.
Studies show that exposure to lead can impair mental function, and at higher levels it can cause behavior problems, learning disabilities, and sometimes, seizures.
For the Allegheny Front, Iím Kate Malongowski.
Kate Malongowski
Kate Malongowski graduated from Duquesne University in 2010 with a BA in Journalism and Digital Media.
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