Karachi (Khyber Mail): A groundbreaking study in The Lancet Planetary Health, led by Stanford University and co-authored by Dr. Zafar Fatmi of Aga Khan University (AKU), argues for an urgent global phaseout of lead by 2035. The paper, which includes contributions from Johns Hopkins and USC, warns of lead’s catastrophic impacts, including 5.5 million premature deaths annually, especially due to cardiovascular issues, and significant neurological damage in children—estimated to reduce global IQ scores by 765 million points each year.
Dr. Fatmi, who leads AKU’s Environmental Health Section, stresses the need for an immediate and comprehensive phaseout of lead, asserting that the estimated $100 billion value of lead products is far outweighed by its societal costs, spanning public health, lost productivity, and environmental damage.
Despite efforts in high-income countries to curb lead, global demand for low-cost lead-acid batteries continues to drive substantial pollution, with 5.2 million tons of lead entering the environment in 2022 alone. These emissions harm ecosystems and human health, impacting the food chain from plants to humans and leading to massive losses in productivity.
The study urges policymakers to impose taxes on lead products, declare lead a toxic waste, and incentivize research into safer alternatives. It suggests establishing an international treaty for lead elimination and advocating for safer recycling practices, especially in low- and middle-income regions where recycling risks remain highest. Through regulatory reform and investment in lead-free options, the study’s authors call for a paradigm shift toward a sustainable and lead-free global economy, highlighting both environmental and human health as top priorities.