Lead Free Paint Commitment – Nexus3

Lead is a heavy metal notorious for impeding brain development in children. Ironically, paint colors that contain the highest levels of lead are often bright, such as red, yellow, orange, green, and blue, commonly found in children’s playgrounds. 

A 2013 study published by the United States National Institute of Health (NIH) estimated the economic cost of childhood lead exposure in Indonesia at around USD 37.9 billion per year. This exposure is linked to an estimated cumulative loss of 16 million IQ points attributed to lead paint. Currently, about 36 million children, or approximately 12.2% of the population, are at risk. 

In 2019, Mowilex launched a campaign to ensure that its products were lead-free and supported regulations restricting lead use to protect Indonesian children’s health. Production of our Cat Kayu dan Besi products containing more than 90 ppm of lead was halted. Additionally, in Q4 of 2021, Mowilex distributors were provided with lead-free paints for products exceeding the maximum limit, completely free of charge. 

In 2021, Mowilex was the first and one of three paint manufacturers in Indonesia to sign a letter of commitment during the “Market Leaders Commitments to Produce Lead-Free Paint by 2023” conference, led by Nexus3, IPEN, CPRG, ICEL.