Pure Earth has announced a three-year incubation grant of $8 million from Open Philanthropy, Effective Altruism Funds Global Health and Development Fund, and a donor who wishes to remain anonymous in support of work to address the global lead poisoning crisis.

Recommended by GiveWell, the grant will be used to identify likely sources of lead exposure in twenty-five low- and middle-income countries, implement interventions to reduce lead exposure from key sources, and conduct baseline and endline analyses of blood lead levels to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. In addition, the grant will focus on reducing lead exposure from lead-adulterated spices and fund a program to research sources of lead exposure across the twenty-five countries through rapid market screenings of household goods and foods, including spices, cookware, and toys.

"We have an unprecedented opportunity to investigate and address the full range of lead exposure sources, whether it be adulterated spices, cookware, cosmetics, toys, or paint," said Pure Earth CEO Rich Fuller. "The results of the rapid market assessments will help fill a critical gap in our understanding and enable us to develop effective interventions to protect future generations from lead poisoning."

(Photo credit: Gettyimages / Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda)