[CALIBK12] Some good lead information sites to share

[ladewig]

Lead poisoning is a very serious concern. Although we are currently focused
on the book issue, we may need other sources of information about lead
exposure, which still affects children. Though we generally associate it
with old or substandard housing, any housing prior to 1997 may contain paint
with lead and even children from middle class or wealthy parents may be
exposed if household remodeling projects involve sanding old paint, or in
some cases, old plumbing. Also, old toys painted with old household paint;
regardless of the playthings, always advise children to wash hands after
playing, and before eating, just to be sure.

 

I have found a good list of sites to refer to. The good news is that lead
exposure in children has dropped astronomically in the past twenty years due
to public awareness (mostly from eliminating lead-based paint). The bad news
is that there are some new sources (most of us are aware of these) - some
home remedies (see link below - generally Hispanic but could be other
cultural remedies), some ethnic cosmetics used on children ("Popular in much
of the world since ancient times, particularly in parts of Africa, the
Middle East, Iran, Pakistan, and India, kohl now sometimes appears in Europe
and North America, especially in some Middle Eastern and Asian specialty
markets."), cheap costume or play jewelry, some imported food in cans with
wide seams (see link), candies or their wrappers imported from Mexico made
big news about two years ago, and most are no longer available in our stores
(O.C. Register did a great investigative story on this). The one that was
brand new to me was the story about Washington D.C. changing its water
purification system and inadvertently releasing lead from old pipes -
apparently the old chlorine treatment in water gave protection from lead (to
some degree, anyway) but a newer treatment used in D.C and elsewhere
permitted lead back into the water - see below. Toys are a continuing
concern - watch for recall notices. None of these sites mentioned regular
children's books. 

 

I think one thing to keep in mind is that with the current economy, more
people will be buying more USED items (toys, old ceramic dishes; etc.) at
garage sales, etc. These may be items that should not be re-used, especially
anything with paint layers prior to 1978. 

 

Here are the links:

 

Medline Plus website - lots of good info, wide range, some in Spanish: 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/leadpoisoning.html

 

Lead in our water:

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/faq/leadinwater.htm

What to do and how to test your tap water and pipe system for lead.

 

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CLPPB/Pages/default.aspx

Information that is California-specific. Here are a few tips from this site:

 Don't use imported foods that come in cans with wide seams.  (Note: these
are imported from countries that permit lead solder in food cans - the U.S.
does not).

Allow cold water to run for a few minutes in the morning before using it for
drinking, cooking, or mixing formula in case there may be lead in your
household pipes. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking or in food
preparation.  You can get your water tested. Check with your local
<http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CLPPB/Pages/CLPPPIndex.aspx>  lead program.
Avoid using handmade, older, or imported dishes for food or drink
preparation, storage, or serving, unless you are sure they do not contain
lead. Avoid using imported home remedies or cosmetics that contain lead. If
you are not sure, check with your local
<http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CLPPB/Pages/CLPPPIndex.aspx>  lead program.


 

Kohl, Kajal, Al-Kahl, or Surma: By Any Name, Beware of Lead Poisoning:

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-kohl.html

 

Lead concentrations spiked in many children living in the nation's capital
after the local water authority altered the treatment used to disinfect
drinking water.

By Janet <http://www.sciencenews.org/view/authored/id/18/name/Janet_Raloff>
Raloff 

Web edition : Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 

 
<http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40275/title/Water-cleanup_experi
ment_caused_lead_poisoning>
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/40275/title/Water-cleanup_experim
ent_caused_lead_poisoning 

"Although this may sound like a local story, Edwards argues that it's
anything but. He has been acquiring data to show that the situation in DC
mirrors what is occurring elsewhere around the nation, if not the world."

(Note/disclaimer: this is not a government sponsored site and the
information is very new. I'm not personally familiar with this group. -JL)

 

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ChildhoodLead/ From this site: The most common
sources of lead exposure for children are chips and particles of old lead
paint. Although children may be directly exposed to lead from paint by
swallowing paint chips, they are more commonly exposed by swallowing house
dust or soil contaminated by leaded paint. This happens because lead paint
chips become ground into tiny bits that become part of the dust and soil in
and around homes. This usually occurs when leaded paint becomes old or worn
or is subject to constant rubbing (as on doors and windowsills and wells).
In addition, lead can be scattered when paint is disturbed during
destruction, remodeling, paint removal, or preparation of painted surfaces
for repainting.

Lead, which is invisible to the naked eye and has no smell, may be found in
other sources. These sources may be the exposure source for as many as 30%
of lead-poisoned children in certain areas across the United States. They
include

. traditional home health remedies such as azarcon and greta, which are used
for upset stomach or indigestion in the Hispanic community

. imported candies

. imported toys and toy jewelry

. imported cosmetics             see also:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-kohl.html (same as prior makeup site)

. pottery and ceramics

. drinking water contaminated by lead leaching from lead pipes, solder,
brass fixtures, or valves and

. consumer products, including tea kettles and        vinyl miniblinds (more
than 10 years old) see also:
http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/lead/pdf/vinylbli.pdf

"Additionally, a variety of work and hobby activities and products expose
adults to lead. This also can result in lead exposure for their families.
Activities that are associated with lead exposure include indoor firing
range use, home repairs and remodeling, and pottery making. "Take-home"
exposures may result when people whose jobs expose them to lead wear their
work clothes home or wash them with the family laundry. It also may result
when they bring scrap or waste material home from work."

 

Joanne Ladewig  (A.K.A. "Library Lady")

Library Media Tech

Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD

Garden Grove, California

 <mailto:shatz at verizon.net> shatz at verizon.net

 

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

Comments are my own and may not represent the views of GGUSD

 

 

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