New Zealand Reduces Lead Levels in Paints

Vol. 1422 | 05 Sep 2024

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has  issued Group Standards (Reducing Lead) Amendment Notice 2024, which aims to reduce the lead level in paints.

The amended group standards include 24 surface coatings and colourants group standards, 6 aerosols group standards, 6 corrosion inhibitors group standards and graphic materials group standard.

Under this Notice, the lead impurity levels allowed in paints is reduced to 90ppm, which include toys, cots, graphic materials, aerosols and corrosive inhibitors. 

Paints used in toys or cots shall comply with European Standard EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021. Any paint that does not meet the requirements for application to toys or cots must include on the label the precautionary statement “Not suitable for use on children’s toys or cots”. Graphic materials must comply with the maximum migration limits for antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium in European Standard EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021.

This Notice shall come into force on 1 March 2025. 

If you have any questions, please contact our technical expert Carl Tso (carl.tso@intertek.com).