Consumer tests find high lead levels in enamel paints

Excessive levels of toxic lead have been found in more than half of samples of enamel paints tested by the Consumer Council.

In the worst case, one brand contained 557 times the limit deemed safe in the United States.

The tests on 40 enamel paints found excessive levels of lead in 23 samples, none of which bore warnings on their labels, as required by law.

Winged Tiger Brand Quick Drying Enamel in orange was the worst offender, containing 33.5 per cent lead. The average lead concentration of the 23 samples ranged from 0.33 per cent, found in white paints, to 13.88 per cent in orange. Enamel paint is usually used on furniture.

Flying Fish Synthetic Enamel and Camel Synthetic Enamel, manufactured in Hong Kong and the mainland respectively, both exceeded the US safety standard.

Consumer Council spokesman Larry Kwok Lam-kwong said children were particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, which could cause damage to the brain, nervous system, red blood cells and kidneys and raise blood pressure.