EPA-SL Observes International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2025 in Freetown
By: Musa Kamara [Intern Reporter, Epic Radio]
The Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone (EPA-SL), in collaboration with its partners, held a program at the Family Kingdom in Freetown today, October 22, 2025, to commemorate International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2025 under the global theme “No Safe Levels: Act Now to End Lead Exposure.”
The event brought together government officials, students, health professionals, paint dealers, and environmental advocates to raise awareness about the dangers of lead poisoning and to call for collective action to eliminate lead exposure across the country.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Gibrilla Kamara, Manager of Legal Affairs, Compliance, and Enforcement at the Environmental Protection Agency, discussed the new lead paint regulations. He explained that the regulations were developed following several studies showing that some paints in Sierra Leone contain lead levels above the acceptable international limit.
Mr. Kamara stated that the new regulation stipulates that paint must not contain lead concentrations exceeding 90 parts per million (ppm). The law will regulate importers, exporters, and distributors of paint products. He further warned that violators will face fines of up to 25 million Leones or imprisonment. The new laws will take effect in March 2026. He also provided guidance on how individuals can identify lead-containing paints.
Dr. Doris Bah, Director of Environmental Health and Climate Health at the Ministry of Health, spoke about the effects of lead poisoning. She described lead as a neurotoxin that affects every aspect of human life, particularly children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Dr. Bah explained that lead exposure in children affects their nervous system and brain development, while in adults it can lead to high blood pressure and kidney damage. For pregnant women, lead exposure can cause premature births, and in severe cases, death.
Dr. Bah further explained that people can be exposed to lead through various means, particularly lead-based paints. She noted that some paint dealers mix lead to prevent paint from peeling off walls. Exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion of contaminated food, or using paint containers for cooking or storing drinking water. She concluded by assuring the public that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the EPA, paint dealers, and other sectors, will ensure full enforcement of the new regulations.
Mr. Alhaji M. Konneh, Manager of Lintex Royal Paints and representative of the Sierra Leone Importers Association, expressed the manufacturers’ support for the EPA’s initiative. He stated that local manufacturers have held meetings and are prepared to comply with the regulations approved by Parliament to ensure that no paint produced in Sierra Leone contains lead, and that all paints are lead-free. Mr. Konneh also highlighted that lead is extremely harmful to mental health, particularly for students, as it destroys cognitive function, and can also damage bone marrow in older adults.
The event concluded with a Declaration of Conformity by all stakeholders involved, reaffirming their commitment to meeting regulatory requirements and standards to safeguard public health, safety, and environmental protection.
