About the Initiative
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative was launched in 2025 to reduce lead poisoning in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Working with partner organizations, the Initiative aims to build upon existing efforts by collaborating with governmental agencies in countries in Africa , Asia and Latin America on this issue.
As an implementing partner of the Initiative, Pure Earth will assist governments in developing institutional capacity, programs, and policies to effectively and sustainably assess and mitigate the main sources of lead exposure. In addition to Pure Earth, implementing partners include the CDC Foundation, Lead Exposure Elimination Project, Resolve to Save Lives, Vital Strategies and the World Health Organization.
Pure Earth’s Role in the Initiative
As an implementing partner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative, Pure Earth is working with governments in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America to improve their ability to assess lead exposure sources, identify priorities, and design and implement source-specific exposure mitigation efforts. These include the remediation of high-risk contaminated sites, regulatory actions on contaminated consumer products, and policy recommendations for safer industrial practices.
This program builds on our decades of experience tackling lead pollution through source assessments and toxic site cleanups. Pure Earth teams have identified nearly 5,000 toxic sites across 50+ countries, analyzed 5,800+ consumer product samples for lead contamination in 25 countries, and assessed lead exposure sources in 750+ homes of lead-poisoned children across 6 countries. Each year, our technical and research experts publish standardized protocols and guidance on site investigation, source analysis, and cost-effective interventions, and majorly influence global and country strategies, normative guidance, and standards.
Under the Initiative, Pure Earth will work with governments and partners on:
National Planning
- Establish Lead Technical Working Groups and formal government partnerships
- Develop lead-specific national roadmaps and Action Plans
Lead Exposure Source Identification and Assessment
- Undertake national and sub-national lead exposure source assessments
- Carry out market assessments of consumer goods
- Map and assess lead-contaminated sites
- Assess priority households of children with elevated blood lead levels to identify and address sources of lead exposure
Risk Prioritization and Exposure Reduction Interventions
- Prioritize risk mitigation efforts in collaboration with governments and partners, such as remediation of toxic sites, regulatory actions on contaminated consumer products, and reform of unsafe industrial practices.
Systems Strengthening
- Provide the tools and training needed to build national and sub-national government capacity for ongoing risk mitigation and interventions, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Opportunity Fund
- Provide small grants to support strategic, short-term projects that advance local understanding of lead poisoning, prevention and mitigation interventions, and policies.
About Lead Poisoning
Lead exposure remains a significant public health challenge in LMICs, where it disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, particularly children. In these regions, lead contamination is often linked to poorly regulated industrial activities, the use of lead-based paints, and the widespread use of lead in consumer goods such as batteries, spices, cosmetics, and cookware.
Global lead exposure statistics at a glance:
- 1 billion children with elevated blood lead levels (>5 µg/dL) (IHME 2023)
- 99% of lead poisoning cases occur in low- and middle-income countries (IHME 2023)
- 765 million IQ points are lost among children 0-5 years old (World Bank, 2019)
- $6 trillion annual cost due to lead exposure (USD) (World Bank, 2019)
- 3.5 million annual deaths due to lead exposure (IHME, 2023)
- 20% of the learning gap between rich and poor countries may be attributable to lead poisoning (CGD, 2023)
Pure Earth’s 5-Phase Approach to Solving Lead Poisoning
Pure Earth implements evidence-based solutions in collaboration with governments and trusted public health partners. Our five-phase approach draws on more than 25 years of experience protecting people from lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries, and is tailored to each local context, with phases that can overlap and be adapted to country-specific priorities.
- Reveal the Crisis
- Pinpoint Exposure Sources
- Reduce Exposure
- Mobilize Collective Will
- Build Durable Systems
