CGD Lead Poisoning Bi-weekly Update, June 27

AuthorAuthor

Theo Mitchell & Rachel Bonnifield
June 27, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Sharing here CGD’s bi-weekly update on lead poisoning publications, events, job opportunities, and funding announcements.

We welcome submissions for future newsletters at this link. New subscribers can sign up at this link, and existing subscribers can remove themselves from future updates via the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email. We will also invite the new subscribers to join our monthly check-in call.

With best wishes,

Rachel Bonnifield
Senior Fellow
Center for Global Development

New Publications and Resources

  • New York City's surveillance system identified lead-contaminated Georgian spices as a source of poisoning. Alerts from New York City catalyzed action in Georgia, ultimately resulting in a reduction in lead exposure among NYC children. The city's approach systematically detects lead-containing products through investigations and store surveys, removing hazardous items and driving global regulatory change. Expanding this model worldwide could create a network of sentinel cities to detect lead risks early and share data, strengthening regulations. Tailored implementation, funding, and international coordination would ensure success, leveraging existing healthcare infrastructures to monitor environmental health threats beyond lead exposure.

  • There’s a new essay in Works in Progress magazine on the history of lead. The authors argue that lead is one of the easiest problems to solve in global health.

  • The Global Alliance for Health and Pollution (GAHP), with the support of Ghana, Nigeria, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uganda, and Uruguay, has submitted a Conference Room Paper (CRP) to the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Green Framework on Chemicals (GFC) for a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste. The CRP aims to expand the scope of lead pollution under a single Issue of Concern, recognizing its significance as a major environmental pollutant. See full press release here and full text of the CRP here.