WHO on Deaths by exposure to hazardous chemicals

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According to latest estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) Deaths due to exposure to hazardous chemicals worldwide rose in 2019.

GS-III: Environment and Ecology (Pollution and Environmental degradation), GS-II: International Relations (Internal Treaties and Agreements)

A hazardous chemical is a chemical that has properties with the potential to do harm to human or animal health, the environment, or capable of damaging property.
Hazardous chemicals are categorized as follows:
Flammable or explosive (e.g., petroleum, TNT, plastic explosives)
Irritating or corrosive to skin, lungs, and eyes (e.g., acids, alkali, paints, fumes)
Toxic chemicals (e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, heavy metals).

Deaths due to exposure to hazardous chemicals worldwide rose almost 30% in 2019 from what they were in 2016.
Two million people died due to exposure to hazardous chemicals in 2019 and around 5000 people died every day due to unintentional exposure to chemicals.
Lead Poisoning was responsible for nearly half of the deaths in 2019.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from occupational exposure to particulates (dust, fumes and gas) and cancers from occupational exposure to carcinogens (arsenic, asbestos and benzene), too accounted for a substantial share of the preventable deaths.
In 2019, 53 million disability-adjusted life-years were lost (Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) is the sum of the number of years of life lost due to premature death and a weighted measure of the years lived with disability due to a disease or injury.) This is an increase by over 19% since 2016.

Lead is added to paints for various reasons, including enhancing the colour, reducing corrosion and decreasing the drying time.
Lead exposure causes cardiovascular diseases (CVD), chronic kidney diseases and idiopathic intellectual disability.
Just 41% of countries including India, have legally binding controls on the production, import, sale and use of lead paints.
Approximately 800 million globally have blood lead levels at or above the permissible quantity (5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL) according UNICEF in 2020.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) on protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of POPs (i.e., toxic chemicals).
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury and protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and its compounds.

-Source: Down to Earth Magazine