Five Paint Companies Sign Lead Reduction Paint Business Agreement with Seoul City

Supply of Paint with Reduced Lead Content (WHO Recommended Level) to Seoul Multi-family Housing and Public Facilities

Five paint manufacturing companies and the Seoul Metropolitan Government held a business agreement ceremony for the use of lead-reduced paint (front row, far left: Oh Jin-su, CEO of Samhwa Paint Industrial Co., Ltd.)
[Photo by Samhwa Paint]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] On the 26th, it was announced that five paint manufacturers held a 'Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on the Use of Lead-Reduced Paint Complying with International Standards' at the new Seoul City Hall on the 25th.

The five paint manufacturing companies, including Samhwa Paint, which participated in the agreement ceremony, along with the Korea Paint and Ink Industrial Cooperative, Seoul Facilities Corporation, Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation, Green Seoul Citizens Committee, and Seoul Metropolitan Government, pledged to create a safe Seoul free from hazardous substances by manufacturing and using lead-reduced paint.

Accordingly, the five paint companies will supply products with a lead mass fraction of 0.009% (90 mg/kg) or less for architectural paints used in Seoul city buildings and industrial paints used in public facilities and multi-family housing (excluding steel structures, medium-pressure systems, PCM, etc., which pose safety accidents and life threats).

A Samhwa Paint official stated, "We will create safe living spaces by supplying products with lead content below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended level and excellent stability," adding, "We hope the use of lead-reduced products will expand from Seoul's multi-family housing and public facilities to the private sector."

Previously, Samhwa Paint signed a 'Voluntary Agreement to Reduce the Use of Hazardous Chemicals' with the Ministry of Environment in 2016 and has been producing eco-friendly paints free of hazardous substances such as hexavalent chromium compounds, lead, and cadmium in architectural paints. In 2017, it was designated as the first manufacturer testing institution for the pre-compliance confirmation system of indoor building material environmental standards, and based on its environmental analysis capabilities, it manages products reliably.