Lead
 Asbestos, Lead in Home Remodeling (PDF 80 KB)
New ! Lead in Toys
Lead poisoning has been described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the most common and socially devastating
environmental disease of young children. Recent research has provided
important insights. We have learned that very small amounts of lead, once
thought harmless, can profoundly affect developing brains in young
children.
The presence of lead paint in a home does not itself constitute
a hazard. The hazard occurs when the paint wears or is damaged and produces
chips and dust. Contaminated soil also creates lead dust. In recent years, more and more attention has been directed to
"small" doses of lead, once thought harmless. As a result, lead
was banned from house paint in 1978 and is almost completely removed from
gasoline.
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Young children are especially at risk for health problems from
lead, which
include delayed development, reading and learning difficulties,
lowered IQ, hyperactivity, and discipline problems. It only requires a
few grains of lead-contaminated dust, eaten or inhaled on a regular
basis, to cause these problems.
As a general rule, the older the home, the greater the risk of lead
paint. It is estimated that three-quarters of the nation's houses built before
1978 have at least some lead-based paint, with those homes built before
the 1950s likely to have high amounts. Properly managed, this paint poses
little immediate risk. Water is another potential source of lead.
Contaminated water usually occurs from lead in solder, fixtures, and
piping in the home.
Lead
and Children
Young children (up to about 6 years old) are especially
at risk for lead exposure. Frequent hand-to-mouth activity of young
children provides a common path for ingestion of lead dust. Also,
children's digestive tracts absorb a significant proportion of lead in
comparison to adults. Most importantly, the period of rapid development in
the early years of life leaves the body' highly vulnerable to the effects
of toxins.
The most common route of exposure is unintentional
ingestion of lead dust through teething and other hand-to-mouth
activities.
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CHILDREN: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that all children up to age 6 be tested for blood-lead. This is
especially important for those living in older homes, deteriorated
homes, urban areas, and high-traffic corridors.
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HOMES: Do-it-yourself (DIY) test kits are available at
home centers, paint stores, ceramics supply outlets, etc., but their
sensitivity is limited. Also, these tests cannot distinguish between
low and high levels of lead, and it may be difficult to get accurate
readings on surfaces with multiple levels of paint.
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As an alternative to DIY measures: Occupants might consider using a
testing laboratory to analyze paint and dust samples for lead content.
Lead Found in Toys
This year the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Division,
charged with ensuring the safety of consumer goods, has
issued several toy recalls due to unsafe levels of lead
found in the paint and plastics of certain toys. Children
may be exposed to through their normal hand-to-mouth
activity. Only a certified laboratory can accurately test a
toy for lead. Although do-it-yourself kits are available,
according to the Center for Disease Control, they do not
indicate how much lead is present and their reliability at
detecting low levels of lead has not been determined. If you
have any reason to suspect that your child has been exposed
to a toy containing lead, remove the toy immediately. Most
children with elevated blood lead levels have no symptoms.
The only way to tell is to have a blood lead test. Your
health care provider can help you obtain a test and can
recommend treatment if your child has been exposed.
Simple
Measures to Reduce Exposure to Lead
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Dust
control via frequent damp mopping/dusting.
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Use of a conventional
vacuum cleaner disperses finer dust particles back into the room.
Therefore, it is recommended you vacuum with a special high-
efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum. HEPA vacs have appeared in
the retail market, targeted toward allergy sufferers. Also, it is
possible to buy high-performance filters (almost meeting HEPA
standards) for shop vacuums.
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Loose
paint chips can be picked up with duct tape.
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Good
nutrition will reduce absorption of lead.
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Frequent washing of children's
hands and toys will reduce exposure as well.
It is extremely important to avoid sanding, scraping, or burning
lead (or any other activities that will generate significant amounts of
dust). Sanding areas without the proper training,
equipment, and precautions can create major problems in the home.
Except
for the most elementary measures, dealing with lead is an extremely
complex task best left to professionals.
For
more information, contact the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at
1-800-424-LEAD.
Also, for more information:
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