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National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
October 21-27, 2007

Other Information

Read about Lead Poisoning Prevention Week activities around the nation. En español

 

Protect Our Most Valuable Resource, Our Children -- National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week -- October 21-27, 2007 -- call the National Lead Information Center 1-800-424-5323

En español

EPA observes National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week to highlight the importance of educating parents and children about the dangers of lead exposure, especially lead-paint hazards in housing. This year's theme, "Protect Our Most Valuable Resource -- Our Children," highlights the importance of educating parents about the dangers of lead-based paint.

Lead exposure among young children has been drastically reduced over the last three decades due to federal, state and local regulations concerning:

As a result of these past and on-going efforts, children's blood-lead levels have declined dramatically since the mid-1970s. In 1978, there were about 13.5 million children in the United States with elevated blood-lead levels. Currently, approximately 310,000 children ages 1-5 years in the United States have blood-lead levels greater than the Centers for Disease Control recommended level of 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.

The federal government's goal is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in the United States as a major public health problem by the year 2010.

For more information, please see Eliminating Childhood Lead Poisoning: A Federal Strategy Targeting Lead Paint Hazards (PDF) (91 pp, 1.5 MB, About PDF).

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See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

Learn How You Can Prevent Lead Poisoning

Become familiar with the EPA Lead Awareness Program and the following resources:

You should also become familiar with Rules and Regulations, such as the Disclosure Rule. This rule 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.

Testing for Lead

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 in Drinking Water

Lead may be found 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 eight percent lead. This may leach lead into the water for the first several months after their installation. Read more about lead in drinking water.

EPA is concerned about the potential for elevated lead levels in the drinking water of schools and child care centers. Exposure to lead is a significant health concern, especially for young children and infants whose growing bodies tend to absorb more lead than the average adult. Drinking water is one possible source of lead exposure. Testing water in schools and child care facilities is important because children spend a significant portion of their days in these facilities, and they are likely to consume water while there. Read more about lead in drinking water in schools and child care facilities.

Other Resources

Other federal agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, plan to conduct various education and awareness events for Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. Learn more about other National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week activities across the United States.

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 Lead Website.

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