Tunisia prepares limits on lead in paints
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Businessnews
Tunisian authorities are drafting regulations to cap lead content in locally manufactured or imported paints, said Wassim El Hani, an official at the National Agency for the Control of Environmental and Health Products. The draft, prepared by the environment and health ministries, is to be discussed with stakeholders, according to Businessnews, amid health risks linked to lead exposure.
Tunisia is preparing regulations to set maximum lead levels in locally manufactured or imported paints, Wassim El Hani, who is responsible for product environmental control at the National Agency for the Assessment of Environmental and Health Risks (ANCSEP), told National Radio on Wednesday 28 October 2026.
The draft, prepared by the environment and health ministries, is to be reviewed with the relevant administrations, manufacturers and civil society organisations. El Hani stressed that no level of lead in the body is considered safe. The metal can notably harm children’s neurological development, disrupt the formation of blood cells and increase cardiovascular risks.
The initiative is part of an international drive to phase out lead in paints. The metal is also found in soil, water and some marine environments, while industrial and manufacturing uses have contributed to its spread in the environment.
The initiative comes amid a broader debate on environmental management in Tunisia, where the potential to recover value from 70% of annual waste was raised on 21 October in an assessment of Tunisian waste.
