Lead pollution is an essential development challenge and tackling it is directly linked to the World Bank Group’s mission of creating a world free of poverty on a livable planet. Lead pollution presents a significant challenge to development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where lead exposure undermines the competitiveness and growth of economies today and sets them up to fail tomorrow.
Despite global efforts to phase out leaded gasoline and regulate lead paint, lead remains a persistent threat due to its continued use in various industries and its environmental persistence.
Lead exposure in children can cause irreversible neurological damage, reduced IQ, behavioral problems, and impaired cognitive development, leading to lifelong social and economic disadvantages. In adults, lead exposure is linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, kidney damage, and reproductive issues. Globally, lead exposure contributes to millions of deaths and disability-adjusted life years lost annually.
Lead contaminates soil, water, and air, harming ecosystems and disrupting food chains, which can lead to biodiversity loss. It also builds up over time in the food chain, posing health risks through contaminated food sources. Economically, lead poisoning imposes heavy burdens on healthcare systems, necessitating expensive treatments and long-term care. Health problems and reduced cognitive function due to lead exposure result in decreased productivity and economic losses. Cleaning up lead contamination requires significant financial resources.
Lead exposure undermines human capital development, hindering a country’s ability to achieve sustainable economic growth and improve living standards. It also impedes progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to health, education, and environmental sustainability.