By Zachary Gava
Harare, (New Ziana) – The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has urged players in Zimbabwe’s paint industry to begin transitioning to safer, lead-free formulations ahead of the enforcement of new regulations aimed at protecting public health and the environment from the harmful effects of lead exposure.
The regulations, introduced through Statutory Instrument 82 of 2026, establish a maximum permissible limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) of total lead in paint, with operational enforcement expected to commence in January 2027.
Speaking during a stakeholder awareness workshop on the new regulations in Harare on Friday, EMA Principal Officer for Environmental Education and Publicity, Liberty Mugadza said the engagement was critical in preparing the paint value chain for compliance while ensuring that efforts to protect the environment did not undermine industrial growth.
“This is a compliance issue, so it is important that we engage throughout the whole process to avoid unnecessary inconveniences,” said Mugadza.
He said the regulations were intended to strike a balance between protecting human health and the environment and sustaining industrial development.
“It is our wish that as we do our regulation and enforcement, we don’t disrupt industrial growth. When we engage like this, it means that whatever direction we take, we are able to protect our people, protect our environment, but at the same time grow our economy so that we can reach our intended economic aspirations,” he said.
Mugadza explained that Section 140 of the Environmental Management Act empowers the Minister responsible for environmental management to introduce regulations aimed at protecting the environment and human well-being, including those governing chemicals and hazardous substances.
He described the introduction of SI 82 of 2026 as a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate lead in paint, adding that the 90ppm threshold provides a legally binding standard that manufacturers and other players in the value chain must observe.
The regulations are also aligned with international efforts to eliminate lead in paint, including initiatives spearheaded by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme through the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint.
Mugadza said EMA remained committed to helping industry players understand and meet the new requirements through technical guidance, support and continued engagement during the transition period.
He urged stakeholders to use the workshop to seek clarification, raise concerns and contribute to discussions, assuring them that the exercise was not intended to punish businesses but to facilitate compliance.
“Laws are not meant to punish. They are designed to guide and ensure that national aspirations are achieved,” he said.
The workshop is expected to equip stakeholders with practical knowledge on the regulatory requirements, including the permissible lead threshold, procedures for testing paint products and the adoption of safer alternatives to lead-based ingredients.
Particular attention is being given to manufacturers’ use of lead-containing raw materials in paint production, including substances used as pigments for colouring and additives for drying.
Mugadza said the successful implementation of the regulations would depend on the preparedness and participation of all players across the paint value chain.
He encouraged participants to freely express their views, including concerns and criticisms, saying their contributions would help shape the implementation process ahead of the commencement of enforcement in 2027.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to ensure that Zimbabwe’s industrial development is pursued while ensuring the protection of human health and environmental sustainability.
New Ziana
