Lead is a highly toxic substance associated with serious and often irreversible health effects. Despite Kenya’s adoption of a 90 parts per million (ppm) maximum lead limit for paints in 2018, important gaps remain in the regulation and monitoring of lead chromate pigments, which are used to produce bright yellow, orange, and red colors in paints and other products. Existing standards primarily regulate finished paint products and do not specifically control the importation and use of raw lead chromate pigments. Recent evidence has also continued to identify lead chromates in paints available in Kenya, including yellow road-marking and residential paints.
This study assessed the trade and use of lead chromates in Kenya to generate evidence to support regulatory action, strengthen engagement with policymakers and enforcers, increase awareness of the health risks and availability of lead-free alternatives, and support efforts to list lead chromates under the Rotterdam Convention. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining analysis of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) customs data and United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade) data with Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) involving paint manufacturers. The KRA dataset covered 2021-2025 and comprised 321 records, while two paint manufacturing companies participated in the KIIs.
