There has been no better example of this than a 2016 crisis in Flint, Michigan in which over 100,000 residents were exposed to lead due to outdated plumbing in the public water system and insufficient water treatment facilities. In the year following the crisis, many children screened had high levels of lead in their body.
Lead exposure can occur from contact with lead in the air, household dust, soil, water, and commercial products. Continued exposure over the course of months or years can eventually lead to lead poisoning.
Risk Factors
According to a report from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), children are at the greatest risk of lead poisoning for several reasons:
They are more likely to ingest lead particles due to hand-to-mouth behaviors. They absorb ingested lead more readily than adults do. They have a faster respiration rate and inhale more airborne particle by body mass. They are closer to the ground and are more likely to inhale particles in the soil or on the ground.
Other factors can place both adults and children at risk. Chief among them is living in an unrenovated building built before 1978 (the year when lead was officially banned from paint products).
This factor alone translates to a higher risk of lead poisoning among poor, ethnic communities where substandard housing is commonplace.
Here are the eight most common sources of lead exposure in the United States.
The hazard of exposure is greatest wherever old paint is peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, or damp. This is especially true around window frames, doors, railings, porches, and banisters where hands can more readily pick up paint chips and particles.
24% of houses built between 1960 and 1977 69% of houses built between 1940 and 1959 87% of houses built before 1940
While lead paint buried beneath new paint is not a problem, any home renovation that involves the scraping of plaster or paint can provide an opportunity for exposure. While wet mopping, vacuuming, and face masks can greatly reduce the risk, the EPA recommends that you remove any children or pregnant women from the home until the renovations are complete.
The natural lead concentration in soil is generally low and not considered a hazard. The exception is urban soil contaminated with peeling paint from older houses or buildings.
Soils adjacent to heavy traffic areas are also a concern, with some studies suggesting that between four and five million tons of lead used in gasoline still remain in soil and dust.
If you find evidence of lead in the soil around your home, you can avoid tracking it inside by using doormats inside and outside of the house and removing your shoes before entering.
If you can’t afford to repaint your home, you should consider planting bushes close to the house, so that kids are discouraged from playing in the soil.
Up until 1986, metal pipes were commonly joined using leaded solder. So, even if the pipes themselves contain less than 8 percent lead (the acceptable threshold under the current law), the solder used to connect them could have inordinately high levels of lead. Unless the water is tested, there is really no way to know.
There are other sources of lead in our water that also get missed. One such example is drinking fountains in older schools which are not subject to inspection in many states. In 2017, a San Diego grade school discovered this only after a therapy dog refused to drink water from a fountain.
This is especially true of older pottery and ceramicware that are more likely to have areas of chipping and deterioration. Of particular concern is imported traditional pottery which may be labeled “lead-free” but still contain excessive levels of the extractable metal. A 2010 warning issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised consumers of the risk after high levels of lead were found in imported ceramicware from Mexico.
Leaded crystal is also a concern. Decanters are especially problematic since wine, liquor, and acidic juices can promote the transfer of lead to the decanted fluid.
Ayurvedic medications and folk remedies imported from India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico are of special concern as there are no means to assess how the ingredients were sourced, how they may have been refined or treated, and under what conditions they were manufactured.
In fact, lead, sulfur, arsenic, copper, and gold are intentionally added to many Ayurvedic remedies under the belief that they offer health benefits, say researchers from the Yale University School of Medicine.
Moreover, it’s not just medications that are suspect; imported candies and cosmetics are also a concern.
Azarcon and greta: Hispanic traditional medicines taken for an upset stomach Ba-baw-san: Chinese herbal remedy used to treat colic Daw tway: digestive aid used in Thailand and Myanmar Ghasard: Indian folk medicine used as a tonic
Imported candies from Mexico, Malaysia, China, and India (especially those flavored with tamarind, chili powder, or certain salts) should be avoided as these frequently have elevated levels of lead. The same applies to traditional cosmetics, such as Kohl used in parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia to outline the eyes.
Even imported everyday cosmetics like lipsticks and eyeliners should be avoided as they are not subject to the strict pre-market testing prescribed under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Industries in which the risk of lead exposure is high include:
Auto body repair and repaintingAmmunition and bullet manufacturingBattery manufacturing and recyclingConstruction (particular restoration or retrofitting)Firing range instructionGlass or crystal manufacturingLead smeltingLead weight manufacturingMeal recyclingMiningPewter manufacturingPlumbing and radiator repairShipbuildingSteel welding
Hobbyists who engage the following activities are also at risk:
Artistic paintingAuto repairElectronics solderingGlazed pottery makingMetal solderingMolding of bullets, slugs, or fishing sinkersStained-glass makingShooting firearms
It’s not just imported toys that are of concern: antique toys, lunchboxes, and even old crayons may contain excessive amounts of lead.
As such, it may be better to keep these objects in a display case or to throw them out if they are not considered a keepsake.
During pregnancy, lead deposits in the bones can be especially problematic as metabolic changes can trigger the transient bone loss of the hip. If this happens, lead can leach out into the system and raise the toxicity to hazardous levels.
The daily use of a calcium supplement during pregnancy may greatly counteract the effect.
Occupational lead exposureLead paint, especially in houses built before 1978Soil, particularly near roadways and deteriorating older buildingsWater, typically from water systems with lead pipingImported glazed ceramicwareImported Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicinesContact with bullets, lead tackle, solder, and ceramic glazes
Auto repairBattery manufacturingConstruction demolition or renovationGlass manufacturingGunsmithing and firing range instructionLead mining and smeltingPlastic manufacturingPlumbingRecyclingRubber manufacturingSolid waste incineratingWelding
