By Nafisatu Olayinka Deen
Freetown, 29th October 2025- The Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) has unveiled a bold new regulation aimed at eliminating lead in paints, a hidden but dangerous threat to public health. The announcement came during a landmark event held at Family Kingdom Resort to mark International Lead Exposure Prevention Week.
The gathering brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, manufacturers, importers, students, and media professionals to discuss the newly enacted Lead in Paint Regulation 2025, which sets a strict limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) for lead content in paint.
The law, set to be enforced in March 2026, prohibits the manufacture, import, distribution, and sale of any paint exceeding the threshold. Offenders will face penalties, and citizens are encouraged to report unsafe products.
“This is not just a technical issue it’s a threat to our people’s health and future,” said Gibrilla Kamara, EPA-SL’s Manager of Legal Affairs, Compliance, and Enforcement. “Studies show that many paints sold in Sierra Leone contain lead levels far above international safety limits.”
Health experts at the event emphasized the urgency of the regulation. Dr. Doris Bah, Director of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health, warned that lead is a potent neurotoxin that can damage nearly every organ in the body. “For children and pregnant women, it is especially dangerous, it can impair brain development and reduce intelligence,” she said.
Lily Kainwo, Public Health Emergency Management Planning Lead at the National Public Health Agency, described lead exposure as a public health emergency. “Anything that threatens the health of our people must be treated with urgency,” she noted.
Beyond legislation, EPA-SL announced a nationwide awareness campaign. Fatmata Bakarr, Acting Director of External Relations and Advocacy, said the agency will engage schools, communities, and local leaders across all districts. “People need to know about the regulation and how to protect themselves,” she stated.
In a show of corporate responsibility, three major paint companies- Rainbow, Latex, and Lion Paints, signed a Declaration of Conformity, pledging to meet the new standards.
As the event concluded, the message was clear: Sierra Leone is taking decisive steps to protect its citizens from toxic lead exposure and build a safer, healthier future.
