Multilac, a flagship paint brand of Macksons Holdings participated at the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) held worldwide from October 21 to 27.
Lead Safe Week provided an opportunity for organizations and institutions around the world to focus their attention towards making the world free of lead poisoning. This was the third consecutive year that Multilac has participated in the annually held event. The theme of this year’s ILPPW focused on the need for individuals, civil society organizations, industry and governments to work together to Ban Lead Paint.
“We’re proud to note that many multinationals in the country are now following our pioneering stance to achieve lead safe certification. Multilac is the first paint company in Sri Lanka to be certified lead safe, and is the first in South Asia to receive the certificate of conformity as a safe paint from IPEN America. This was an outstanding achievement, as we were among only two other companies globally to receive this prestigious certification. We take pride in being the trailblazer in South Asia, and we hope more companies follow suit” said Ismail Hussain, Chief Operating Officer of Macksons Paints.
Multilac’s commemoration of this year’s Lead Safe Week kicked off in Dehiattakandiya where the Centre for Environmental Justice, a National Level organization, had identified through research that the area had high lead content. Multilac provided paint for 15 pre-schools in the area and this significantly helped to create awareness about the vital need to use lead-safe paint to make the environment safe for children. Chalani Rubesinghe, Senior Environmental Officer, Centre for Environmental Justice said “Macksons has made an outstanding contribution towards making people aware of the need to use lead-safe paint, especially in areas used by children. Their efforts are praise-worthy because they are practical and farsighted.”
Macksons Paints signed an MoU with the Base Hospital of Dehiattakandiya to provide Multilac lead-safe paint for the maternity ward and children’s ward. The company added greater value to the effort to create awareness by making Mulltilac lead-safe paint available at a discounted rate to villagers in the area.
Starting in 2013, government institutions, health service providers, civil society organizations and international organizations have carried out a wide range of activities and events to inform the public, health professionals and policy makers about the health hazards of lead, and to urge action to prevent lead exposure. Last year, 67 events in 44 countries from regions across the globe were registered on the WHO website advocating lead free products.
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