Bangladesh among worst-hit by lead pollution: experts

Bangladesh is among the countries worst affected by lead pollution, with millions of children exposed to hazardous levels, experts said at a workshop in a Dhaka hotel yesterday.

They said tests showed children living near such sites had blood lead levels as high as 47 micrograms per decilitre of blood, while the WHO recognises no safe level of lead in the blood.

They said lead levels in soil near disposal sites were as high as 70,000 ppm (parts per million), compared to the US EPA reference value of 200 ppm.

The remarks were made at a validation workshop on the Toxic Site Investigation Program (TSIP) Guideline and the Remediation and Risk Reduction Guideline for Lead-Contaminated Sites. The Department of Environment (DoE) organised the programme in collaboration with Pure Earth.

Mitali Das, country director of Pure Earth Bangladesh, emphasised prevention of improper disposal of used batteries.

Lara Crampe, programme director for Asia at Pure Earth USA, said Bangladesh has shown leadership in addressing lead pollution through high-level commitment.

Dr Fahmida Khanom, additional secretary of the environment ministry, and Dr Md Kamruzzaman, ndc, director general of the Department of Environment, also spoke.