The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is observing National Lead
Poisoning Prevention Week from October 24-30, 2004, to promote
awareness of the dangers of lead exposure. This year's theme,
"Shut The Door on Lead Poisoning," highlights the importance
of educating parents and children about the dangers of lead-paint
hazards in housing. About lead in español,
Russian (PDF, 665KB, 17pp), Vietnamese
(PDF, 946KB, 16pp), and Arabic (PDF,
611KB, 17pp).
Children six years old and under are most at risk from lead poisoning
because their bodies and nervous systems are still developing.
Lead poisoning in children, even at low levels, can cause developmental
problems, learning disabilities, impaired hearing and behavioral
problems. The primary sources of lead exposure for children are
deteriorating lead-based paint, lead contaminated dust and lead
in residential soil. Minority and low-income children are disproportionately
affected by lead poisoning since they are more likely to live
in pre-1978 housing containing lead-based paint.
Lead exposure among young children has been drastically
reduced over the last two decades because of the phase-out of
lead from gasoline, beverage cans, new house paint, federal, state
and local regulations on lead in paint, reductions of lead in
industrial emissions, drinking water, consumer goods, hazardous
sites and other sources. As a result of these past and on-going
efforts, children's blood-lead levels have declined over 80 percent
since the mid-70s. In 1978, there were about 14.8 million children
in the United States with elevated blood-lead levels. Currently,
approximately 434,000 U.S. children age 1-5 years have blood-lead
levels greater than the Centers for Disease Control recommended
level of 10 µg/dL.
The EPA Lead Awareness Program has developed many products to
reduce residential lead hazards:
- Education
and outreach brochures to provide information to parents
and children on the importance of testing children for lead,
testing homes and working safely when lead is present in the
home environment. Several brochures have been translated into
other languages, such as Spanish.
- Fight Lead Poisoning with a Healthy Diet [en
español (PDF, 230KB, 10pp)]
- Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home [en
español (PDF, 649KB, 16pp)], [Vietnamese
(PDF, 946KB, 16pp)], [Russian
(PDF, 665KB, 17pp)], [Arabic
(PDF, 611KB, 17pp)]
- Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home [en
español (PDF, 412KB, 26pp)]
- Lead Poisoning and Your Children [en
español (PDF, 167KB, 2pp)]
Los
folletos educativos y de alcance público brindan información
a los padres y a los niños sobre la importancia de
realizar la prueba del plomo en la sangre de sus niños,
así como la necesidad de examinar los hogares y trabajar
de manera segura y sana cuando el plomo esté presente
en el ambiente de su hogar. Varias publicaciones han sido
traducidas al español. Estas son:
-
Rules
and regulations such as the Disclosure Rule, which requires
persons selling or leasing housing constructed before 1978
to disclose known lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint
hazards during all real-estate transactions.
To protect children, parents should ask their health
care providers about testing children for high levels of lead
in the blood. Homeowners may contact the National Lead Information
Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) for information on how to find
professionals to test houses for lead. Tenants can also consult
with their landlords regarding testing pre-1978 residences when
there are signs of deteriorating lead-based paint.
Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is also part of the
October celebration of Children's Health Month. Read
the fact sheet about Children's Health Month (PDF, 490KB,
8pp)
Lead is commonly used in household plumbing materials
and water service lines. Lead is rarely found in source water, but
enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes
built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, joints, and
solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally "lead-free"
plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. This can leach significant
amounts of lead into the water for the first several months after their
installation. Read more
about lead contamination in water.
Many state and communities plan to make official proclamations,
offer free lead screening, and to conduct various education and
awareness events. Click here to learn about National
Lead Poisoning Prevention Week activities across the United
States.
Other government agencies are involved in efforts to reduce harmful
exposure to lead in the environment.
For more information about Lead Poisoning Prevention
Week or lead poisoning in general, contact the National Lead Information
Center at 1-800-424-LEAD or see EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/lead.
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