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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Study finds widespread lead poisoning among children and pregnant women in Bihar
Patna: Across Bihar's towns and villages, an invisible danger is endangering the lives of children and pregnant women. A recent study has found that nearly 90% of children and 80% of pregnant women in the state have dangerously high levels of lead in their blood, far above the safety threshold defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The scale of contamination paints a scary picture of an invisible epidemic, one that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. Conducted by a team led by former Bihar State Pollution Control Board chairman Ashok Kumar Ghosh, the study revealed that one in five children tested had blood lead levels (BLL) above 10 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL), twice the WHO's threshold for medical intervention. The same ratio applied to pregnant women. "This is a warning bell. Our children are being quietly poisoned," Ghosh said. The findings, published in the July 2025 issue of the international journal 'Environmental Monitoring and Assessment', placed Bihar among the worst-hit regions globally for childhood lead exposure. For comparison, fewer than 3% of children under six in the United States have BLLs above 5 µg/dL and less than 0.4% exceed 10 µg/dL. In parts of Bihar, however, almost half of the children exceeded that alarming mark. The study, conducted at Patna's Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre, was a collaborative effort involving Germany's Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, along with Pure Earth and Viral Strategies in New York. Researchers randomly selected 150 children and several pregnant women in eight districts – Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Nawada, West Champaran, Bhagalpur, Vaishali and Purnia. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Elevated lead levels were found in all districts, but Patna, Gaya and Nawada emerged as the most severely affected. In Patna and Gaya, nearly one in two children had BLLs of 10 µg/dL or higher. The data exposed a disturbing truth – lead poisoning is not limited to isolated incidents, but is woven into the daily lives of thousands. Historically, lead poisoning has been one of the oldest recorded occupational diseases. Some scientists even believe chronic lead exposure played a role in the collapse of the Roman Empire. Yet, despite this ancient history, the danger persists in modern India. A 2019 report by UNICEF and Pure Earth estimated that 275 million Indian children are exposed to blood lead levels above 5 µg/dL, figures that remain virtually unchanged today. The causes are as diverse as they are insidious. According to the study, one of the major sources of lead contamination in Bihar is proximity to industrial activity. Nearly half of the children surveyed live within 1km of industries known to use or process lead. These include battery recycling, metal smelting and paint manufacturing – activities that can contaminate local soil and dust, putting nearby families at constant risk. But the threat does not end there. Exposure often begins at home. Children can come into contact with lead brought back on the clothes or tools of parents employed in lead-related industries. Everyday items – from cookware to drinking water – can become vectors of exposure. The study found that 77% of households relied on hand pumps for their water supply and 28% on municipal sources, both of which can be contaminated through ageing pipes or fixtures containing lead. In nearly every home surveyed, metal cookware was used (96%) with plastic or ceramic options virtually absent. Researchers also highlighted a particularly troubling source – adulterated spices. Brightly coloured powders, especially turmeric and red chilli, are sometimes laced with lead-based pigments to improve appearance. "We found a clear and statistically significant link between children's BLLs and lead concentrations in household spices," said one of the study authors. Even more worrying, 87% of households purchase loose spices from local markets, while just 1% buy from recognised national brands. This lack of regulation leaves ample room for dangerous adulteration to go unchecked. In response, the study calls for urgent and far-reaching action. First and foremost, it urges the state govt to integrate routine blood lead level monitoring into paediatric healthcare, allowing early detection and treatment. Secondly, it recommends stronger oversight and testing of consumer products, drinking water, and food items, particularly loose spices and herbal remedies. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 815 million children have blood lead levels above 5 µg/dL – 99% of them in low and middle-income countries. India remains one of the worst-affected, both in terms of scale and impact.
BBC News
31-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'We dey fall sick from lead poisoning evri time but we no fit do anytin about am'
Residents for three regions for Ghana wia environmental NGO Pure Earth bin find through dia research say lead poison don plenty, say dem no fit do anytin about am. Di research bin find say over 53% of children for dis places dey suffer from di lead poison from illegal lead-battery recycling sites, waste processing, informal recycling of lead and even among cookware. Sukaina Sulemana na mother of three wey dey stay for Ashaiman, one of di most poisonous areas for di kontri. She tell BBC Pidgin say even though she sabi say di air for di area na poison, she no get any choice. "Dis place no dey safe for us and our children. Dis place don dirty well well, wey di atmosphere no good," Sukaina explain. Many residents for here and oda communities for Kpone Katamanso and Afienya, according to di Pure Earth research, get plenti lead inside dia blood. "We bin dey sick from dis polluted air. For me I sabi well well say di air for here no good for human being…but I neva get any oda place to go," she add. Di environmental NGO bin collaborate wit di Ghana Health Service, and Unicef also don find say out of di 16 regions for Ghana, na three of dem get di plenty lead poison. "Di Greater Accra, Northern and Ashanti regions all get di highest number of children wey get lead poison inside dia blood and out of evri two children, one of dem get lead poison," oga for Pure Earth Dr Esmond Quansah explain to BBC Pidgin. For Zakari Iddrisu and im friends wey dey stay for dis toxic area working for di scrap and informal recycling for 10 years, na dia only source of livelihood be dat. "If you don dey work wit di dirty oil, lead-acid batteries and oda metals, e dey cause skin disease, sake of e don dey touch our skin always." Zakaria say dem dey spend di money from di recycling to pay hospital bills. For di world, approximately one child out of three - up to 800 million, get high levels of lead about 5 microgrammes per decilitre inside dia bodi. For 2021, lead exposure bin kill more dan 1.5 million pipo for di world, according to di world health organization (WHO) – na figure wey don plenti pass pipo wey dey die from HIV and malaria combined. For lower - to middle-income kontris for Africa, ova 55 million children get blood lead level wey dey above 10 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL), na two times di level wey WHO tok say e dey dangerous. Wetin lead poison dey cause for human bodi? Sabi pesin - public health advocate Dr Michael Baah Biney explain say lead poison dey dangerous especially among children. "Although e dey affect evribodi, na children e dey affect most, especially dose wey dey below six years," Dr Biney tok. Im add say "e don dey affect children sake of lead dey affect dia nervous system wey bin dey develop. E dey affect di intelligence of di child." "Even if di woman no dey pregnant at di time she bin dey exposed to di lead, e go stay inside di woman and begin to affect her wen she don carry belle, wey she fit transfer am into her baby for belle," Dr Baah Biney explain. Authorities for di kontri say dem go soon approve one medicine to treat lead poison – but how soon dis go happun? Pure Earth kontri director Dr Esmond Quansah tok BBC Pidgin say "our partners, Unicef don dey work wit di Ghana health service and di ministry of health to approve drugs wey fit treat conditions of lead and mercury poisoning and odas. Dis na ogbonge win for us!"
Hans India
05-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Hans India
5 Eco-Friendly Beauty & Fashion Must-Haves for World Environment Day
This World Environment Day, let your shopping choices reflect your commitment to a greener planet. Whether you're updating your beauty routine, wardrobe, or work essentials, these eco-friendly picks prove you don't have to compromise on style or performance for sustainability. Here are five planet-loving products to add to your cart and celebrate the Earth in style: 1. No Nasties Dimple Linen Dress (Olive) The No Nasties Dimple Linen Dress in olive is a relaxed shirt dress crafted from organic cotton linen and finished with corozo nut buttons. This chic piece is made using organic, vegan, and upcycled materials, making it as gentle on the planet as it is on your skin. Every dress purchased plants three trees and offsets three times its carbon footprint, with a total offset of 14.01 kg CO₂e for each dress, making it a true statement in sustainable style. No Nasties is known for its transparent, planet-positive approach, so you can feel good about every wear. Price: ₹6,499 2. Earth Rhythm Lip & Cheek Tint The Earth Rhythm Lip & Cheek Tint is a versatile, everyday essential that adds a healthy flush of color to both lips and cheeks. Formulated with non-toxic pigments, this tint is gentle on your skin and safe for daily use. It's long-lasting, easy to blend, and perfect for those who want a natural look while supporting sustainable beauty. Earth Rhythm is committed to eco-conscious practices, and this product is a great choice for anyone seeking clean beauty alternatives. With over 24,000 positive ratings, it's a crowd favorite for good reason. Price: ₹499 3. Oriflame Love Nature Up-Loved Purifying Shampoo and Energising Shower Gel Oriflame's Up-Loved Purifying Shampoo is formulated for oily hair, featuring upcycled apple seed oil and organic kale extract. This biodegradable shampoo is free from parabens and silicones and comes in a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic. The use of upcycled apple seed oil, a byproduct from the food industry, helps reduce waste while mimicking your scalp's natural oils to nourish and restore shine. It's a refreshing, juice-inspired product that purifies the scalp and keeps hair feeling light and healthy. The Oriflame Up-Loved Energising Shower Gel is suitable for all skin types and features upcycled lemon seed oil, along with organic carrot and ginger extracts. This citrusy, nutrient-rich shower gel is biodegradable and packaged in a bottle made entirely from recycled plastic. By using upcycled ingredients from the food industry, it gives new life to what would otherwise be waste, while carrot and ginger extracts help refresh and nourish your skin. It's a zesty, sustainable addition to your daily routine. Price: ₹399 each 4. Pure Earth Hydrate & Glow Set Pure Earth's Hydrate & Glow Set includes the Wild Rose Himalayan Mist (100ml) and Wild Seaberry Supercritical Oil (15ml), both handcrafted in India using clean, ethical, and sustainable methods. Free from preservatives and chemicals, these vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free products are made with pure botanicals. The seabuckthorn oil is wild-harvested by women in Ladakh at 13,000 feet, supporting local communities while deeply nourishing and revitalising your skin. This set is a celebration of Earth-friendly luxury and mindful beauty. Price: ₹3,800 5. Zouk FloMotif Women's Office Bag The Zouk FloMotif Women's Office Bag combines style and sustainability with its PeTA-approved vegan leather and traditional handicraft fabric. Designed with an abstract motif, double straps, and a spacious interior, this bag is water-resistant and perfect for daily use. Proudly made in India, it supports local artisans and offers a cruelty-free, eco-friendly alternative for your workday essentials. The water-resistant inner lining is especially handy for unpredictable weather, making it as practical as it is planet-friendly. Price: ₹1,499
Khaleej Times
01-04-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Battery boom drives Bangladesh lead poisoning epidemic
Bangladeshi Junayed Akter is 12 years old but the toxic lead coursing through his veins has left him with the diminutive stature of someone several years younger. Akter is one of 35 million children — around 60 per cent of all children in the South Asian nation — who have dangerously high levels of lead exposure. The causes are varied, but his mother blames his maladies on a since-shuttered factory that hastily scrapped and recycled old vehicle batteries for profit, in the process poisoning the air and the earth of his small village. "It would start at night, and the whole area would be filled with smoke. You could smell this particular odour when you breathed," Bithi Akter told AFP. "The fruit no longer grew during the season. One day, we even found two dead cows at my aunt's house." Medical tests showed Junayed's blood had twice the level of lead deemed by the World Health Organization to cause serious, and likely irreversible, mental impairment in young children. "From the second grade onward, he didn't want to listen to us anymore, he didn't want to go to school," Bithi said, as her son sat next to her while gazing blankly out at the courtyard of their home. "He cried all the time too." Lead poisoning is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh, and the causes are manifold. They include the heavy metal's widespread and continued use in paint, in defiance of a government ban, and its use as an adulterant in turmeric spice powder to improve its colour and perceived quality. A great many cases are blamed on informal battery recycling factories that have proliferated around the country in response to rising demand. Children exposed to dangerous levels of lead risk decreased intelligence and cognitive performance, anaemia, stunted growth and lifelong neurological disorders. The factory in the Akter family's village closed after sustained complaints from the community. But environmental watchdog Pure Earth believes there could be 265 such sites elsewhere in the country. "They break down old batteries, remove the lead and melt it down to make new ones," Pure Earth's Mitali Das told AFP. "They do all this in the open air," she added. "The toxic fumes and acidic water produced during the operation pollute the air, soil and water." 'They've killed our village' In Fulbaria, a village that sits a few hours' drive north of the capital Dhaka, operations at another battery recycling factory owned by a Chinese company are in full swing. On one side are verdant paddy fields. On the other, a pipe spews murky water into a brackish pool bordered by dead lands, caked with thick orange mud. "As a child, I used to bring food to my father when he was in the fields. The landscape was magnificent, green, the water was clear," engineer and local resident Rakib Hasan, 34, told AFP. "You see what it looks like now. It's dead, forever," he added. "They've killed our village." Hasan complained about the factory's pollution, prompting a judge to declare it illegal and order the power be shut off -- a decision later reversed by the country's supreme court. "The factory bought off the local authorities," Hasan said. "Our country is poor, many people are corrupt." Neither the company nor the Chinese embassy in Dhaka responded to AFP's requests for comment on the factory's operations. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who helms Bangladesh's environment ministry, declined to comment on the case because it was still before the courts. "We regularly conduct operations against the illegal production and recycling of electric batteries," she said. "But these efforts are often insufficient given the scale of the phenomenon." 'Unaware of the dangers' Informal battery recycling is a booming business in Bangladesh. It is driven largely by the mass electrification of rickshaws -- a formerly pedal-powered means of conveyance popular in both big cities and rural towns. More than four million rickshaws are found on Bangladeshi roads and authorities estimate the market for fitting them all with electric motors and batteries at around $870 million. "It's the downside of going all-electric," said Maya Vandenant of the UN children's agency, which is pushing a strategy to clean up the industry with tighter regulations and tax incentives. "Most people are unaware of the dangers," she said, adding that the public health impacts are forecast to be a 6.9 percent dent to the national economy. Muhammad Anwar Sadat of Bangladesh's health ministry warned that the country could not afford to ignore the scale of the problem. "If we do nothing," he told AFP, "the number of people affected will multiply three or fourfold in the next two years."
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Battery boom drives Bangladesh lead poisoning epidemic
Bangladeshi Junayed Akter is 12 years old but the toxic lead coursing through his veins has left him with the diminutive stature of someone several years younger. Akter is one of 35 million children -- around 60 percent of all children in the South Asian nation -- who have dangerously high levels of lead exposure. The causes are varied, but his mother blames his maladies on a since-shuttered factory that hastily scrapped and recycled old vehicle batteries for profit, in the process poisoning the air and the earth of his small village. "It would start at night, and the whole area would be filled with smoke. You could smell this particular odour when you breathed," Bithi Akter told AFP. "The fruit no longer grew during the season. One day, we even found two dead cows at my aunt's house." Medical tests showed Junayed's blood had twice the level of lead deemed by the World Health Organization to cause serious, and likely irreversible, mental impairment in young children. "From the second grade onward, he didn't want to listen to us anymore, he didn't want to go to school," Bithi said, as her son sat next to her while gazing blankly out at the courtyard of their home. "He cried all the time too." Lead poisoning is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh, and the causes are manifold. They include the heavy metal's widespread and continued use in paint, in defiance of a government ban, and its use as an adulterant in turmeric spice powder to improve its colour and perceived quality. A great many cases are blamed on informal battery recycling factories that have proliferated around the country in response to rising demand. Children exposed to dangerous levels of lead risk decreased intelligence and cognitive performance, anaemia, stunted growth and lifelong neurological disorders. The factory in the Akter family's village closed after sustained complaints from the community. But environmental watchdog Pure Earth believes there could be 265 such sites elsewhere in the country. "They break down old batteries, remove the lead and melt it down to make new ones," Pure Earth's Mitali Das told AFP. "They do all this in the open air," she added. "The toxic fumes and acidic water produced during the operation pollute the air, soil and water." - 'They've killed our village' - In Fulbaria, a village that sits a few hours' drive north of the capital Dhaka, operations at another battery recycling factory owned by a Chinese company are in full swing. On one side are verdant paddy fields. On the other, a pipe spews murky water into a brackish pool bordered by dead lands, caked with thick orange mud. "As a child, I used to bring food to my father when he was in the fields. The landscape was magnificent, green, the water was clear," engineer and local resident Rakib Hasan, 34, told AFP. "You see what it looks like now. It's dead, forever," he added. "They've killed our village." Hasan complained about the factory's pollution, prompting a judge to declare it illegal and order the power be shut off -- a decision later reversed by the country's supreme court. "The factory bought off the local authorities," Hasan said. "Our country is poor, many people are corrupt." Neither the company nor the Chinese embassy in Dhaka responded to AFP's requests for comment on the factory's operations. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, who helms Bangladesh's environment ministry, declined to comment on the case because it was still before the courts. "We regularly conduct operations against the illegal production and recycling of electric batteries," she said. "But these efforts are often insufficient given the scale of the phenomenon." - 'Unaware of the dangers' - Informal battery recycling is a booming business in Bangladesh. It is driven largely by the mass electrification of rickshaws -- a formerly pedal-powered means of conveyance popular in both big cities and rural towns. More than four million rickshaws are found on Bangladeshi roads and authorities estimate the market for fitting them all with electric motors and batteries at around $870 million. "It's the downside of going all-electric," said Maya Vandenant of the UN children's agency, which is pushing a strategy to clean up the industry with tighter regulations and tax incentives. "Most people are unaware of the dangers," she said, adding that the public health impacts are forecast to be a 6.9 percent dent to the national economy. Muhammad Anwar Sadat of Bangladesh's health ministry warned that the country could not afford to ignore the scale of the problem. "If we do nothing," he told AFP, "the number of people affected will multiply three or fourfold in the next two years." pa/gle/cms/jfx
