Study finds lead poisoning affects children in multiple California communities
A recent report by Reuters pinpointed thousands of lead hotspots across the USA, including in dozens of California communities such as the Bay Area, downtown Los Angeles, Alameda County (which includes Oakland), Fresno County, Monterey, and Humboldt. In at least 29 Golden State neighborhoods the investigation found that children had elevated lead tests at rates at least as high as in Flint, Michigan.
Lead is a neurotoxin that causes irreversible health impacts, including cognitive impairment and attention disorders in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's maintains that no level of lead exposure is safe, but sets 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood as the current threshold for an elevated reading, which means that a public health response is warranted.
California's Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials has proposed a bill that would require blood lead screening for all California children, instead of just the fraction that are tested now who are selected due to at-risk factors such as being enrolled in Medicaid or living in older housing.
However, blood tests cannot determine the cause of a child's exposure. To discover the source, home inspections are required in California when a child's levels reach 14.5 micrograms per deciliter, the state's formal threshold for a "lead poisoning case." Despite progress in eliminating lead-based products such as household paint, gasoline, and plumbing, the risk of lead poisoning still exists because these factors may still be found in old and substandard housing, and there are other environmental sources such as contaminated soil or sites left behind by heavy industry that can contribute to human exposure as well.
Other measures aimed at discovering and eliminating sources of exposure include a resolution by Oakland city council that would require property owners to obtain lead inspections and safety certifications before renting or selling houses and apartments built before 1978, and an ordinance proposed by Emeryville's city council to require proof that contractors will adhere to Environmental Protection Agency standards - including safe lead paint removal practices - before they renovate older housing.
How can GHD help?
Our team of health, safety and environmental experts can conduct inspections to identify lead sources, and come up with plans to safely remove, remediate, or decrease sources of exposure, as well as conduct preventative planning to ensure future protection against lead poisoning.
For more information, please contact Fred Blickle | fred.blickle@ghd.com.