On July 17–18, 2025, Pure Earth Peru participated in the Capacity-Building Workshop for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Surveillance of Exposure to Heavy Metals, particularly Lead, organized by UNICEF in Lima. The event brought together over 400 health professionals from across the country and included the participation of the Ministry of Health, DIGESA, CENSOPAS, INS, the U.S. Embassy, the World Bank, and other partner institutions, consolidating a technical and political alliance aimed at reducing the impacts of lead exposure on children.
Throughout the workshop, concrete solutions were discussed to address exposure to heavy metals from multiple angles: clinical, regulatory, community-based, and environmental. It was a key space for strengthening coordination between leading institutions and highlighting both the progress made and the challenges ahead.
In this context, Pure Earth Peru shared its technical experience in conducting household-level assessments to identify sources of lead exposure in vulnerable communities. During his presentation, Rodrigo Velarde, Country Director, shared results from fieldwork, highlighting the use of portable XRF analyzers as a cost-effective tool for rapid environmental risk detection. This technology enables initial screening in the field, helping inform public health decisions and prioritize interventions.
One of the case studies presented was the Rapid Market Screening carried out by Pure Earth in Peru, which revealed that 15% of the 228 samples analyzed exceeded lead reference levels, with high incidence in ceramic ware and metal cookware used for food preparation.
Pure Earth’s participation in this workshop reaffirms its commitment as a technical partner in the fight for a lead-free Peru, working alongside UNICEF and other key institutions to protect the health of children and ensure they grow up in safe and healthy environments.
