A plan to combat lead poisoning at global scale and protect 500 million children

Lead poisoning harms more than 1 billion children globally. By helping 22 low- and middle-income countries implement proven approaches to prevent exposure and reduce health risks, Pure Earth is breaking the cycle of childhood lead poisoning.

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A woman examines soil with a device, surrounded by curious children on a sunlit day. The scene conveys learning and community.

Project
Description

Big Idea

Lead poisoning is one of the world’s largest and least recognized threats to children. It’s a systemic, often-hidden public health challenge, that worsens maternal and newborn outcomes and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death, cutting short 3.5 million lives each year — more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined. History shows, however, that when countries act decisively, lead exposure can be reduced sharply in a matter of years. Partnering with governments and local organizations, Pure Earth tracks down where lead poisoning is coming from and who it’s affecting, then delivers targeted, practical fixes to stop exposure. As importantly, they help build lead control into national systems — so protections continue long after any single project ends. By reducing lead exposure to a manageable issue that national governments are equipped to monitor, Pure Earth will create a future where all children can grow up healthy, thrive in school and realize their full potential.

Plan

In partnership with national governments, and alongside multilateral and technical partners, Pure Earth will uncover the sources and scale of lead exposure, design and implement targeted mitigation interventions, and embed lasting solutions into national systems to protect future generations against this threat. By focusing on 22 high-burden countries, areas that are home to more than half of the 1 billion children poisoned by lead globally— by 2033, Pure Earth will help protect 550 million children across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In parallel, Pure Earth will launch the world’s first Lead Exposure & Action Data Hub (LEAD Hub), synthesizing fragmented data into actionable insights for global decision makers. At full scale, this initiative can change the life trajectories of hundreds of millions of children and entire populations by reducing preventable disease, improving learning outcomes and strengthening long-term economic productivity, moving toward a future in which no child is harmed by lead.