Preventing Exposure to Lead

The Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), an Oakland-based group that addresses environmental issues, recently released some findings about lead levels in several types of food items. These include apple juice, grape juice, packaged pears and peaches, and fruit cocktail. ELF chose these products to test because they are ones that children are likely to eat regularly.

Exposure to lead is associated with several health concerns, especially in infants and young children. Some of the most common concerns are learning disabilities, aggressive behavior, and problems with hearing and balance. The most common causes of lead exposure are from paint and paint chips containing lead, especially from buildings that were built before lead was banned in paint in 1978. As the ELF report shows, lead can also be found in other products. Products that may contain unsafe levels of lead include some traditional home remedies, candies imported from Mexico, and some toy jewelry.

ELF identified products that had over 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving. These levels are permitted under current regulations. However, 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving is the level at which a warning label is required under Proposition 65. Proposition 65 requirements are set at low levels because they are intended as warnings about cumulative effects. ELF published a list of the products it tested and which ones had 0.5 micrograms of lead or more per serving. You can view the list at: http://www.envirolaw.org/documents/ProductsTestedforLeadFINAL.pdf

There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of exposure to lead. If you live in a house that was built before 1978, consider testing the paint for lead. If you do find lead in the paint, don’t try to remove the paint yourself; this can release lead dust into the air. The health department can help with resources for testing for lead and removing unsafe paint. Check dishes and bake ware to ensure they are lead-free. The Consumer Product Safety Commission tests toys and other products for lead. A list of recalled products is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Recalls/allhazards.htm. If you work with lead or lead-based products, take a shower and change clothes as soon as you are done.

ELF has more information about their findings and plan for action available on their website at: http://www.envirolaw.org/currentcases.html