Lead-Free Paint Deemed Essential for Supporting a Healthy Home Environment
The quality of the environment inside the home is one of the important factors affecting the health of its occupants. Beyond cleanliness, lighting and air circulation, the use of safe and environmentally friendly building materials is now receiving growing attention as part of efforts to create healthy housing.
A number of studies show that humans spend around 90 per cent of their time indoors. This makes the quality of the home environment, including the materials used, a major influence on the health of all family members.
This awareness was one of the topics raised at a discussion entitled “Safe and Comfortable Homes with Kansai Paint”, organised by PT Kansai Prakarsa Coatings together with the Ibu Hebat community. The discussion featured a home living practitioner, a paediatric specialist and a company representative to discuss the importance of creating a healthy home environment.
Nike Prima, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Living Loving, said a comfortable home is determined not only by design but also by the quality of the materials used. According to her, after having children, many families begin to pay greater attention to the safety aspects of materials in addition to aesthetics.
“A comfortable home does not always have to be spacious. What matters most is how space is used efficiently, with good lighting and air circulation, and using materials that are of high quality and safe,” Nike said in a statement on Sunday (26 July 2026).
She added that colour choice remains important for creating a comfortable atmosphere in a space. However, families also need to pay attention to product quality and the safety of the materials used inside the home.
Meanwhile, paediatric specialist dr. Maria Chrismayani Hindom, M.Med.Sc., Sp.A said a healthy home is determined not only by cleanliness but also by air quality and building materials that could potentially be sources of exposure to hazardous substances.
According to her, one substance that needs to be watched out for is lead. Lead exposure can come from dust or materials that undergo degradation, entering the body through the respiratory or digestive tract.
Children, she continued, are the most vulnerable group because their nervous systems are still developing. In adults, long-term exposure is also associated with health problems, including in the kidneys and cardiovascular system.
“Parents need not panic, but they do need to understand the sources of exposure around the home. Choosing materials that meet safety standards, including lead-free paint, is one preventive step,” said dr. Maria.