Lead

Lead

Lead Hurts Children!

Growing children are seriously harmed by long term exposure to lead. Developmental delays, decreased bone and muscle growth, damage to hearing, the nervous system, kidneys, speech/language and behavior problems are all linked to prolonged exposure.

New York City reduced children’s lead blood level in by 43.5% from 2001 to 2005¹ However, the North Shore community of Port Richmond  had a far less impressive 24.2% reduction.  In 2005, 8.2 NYC children out of every 1,000 had elevated lead levels – in Port Richmond the rate is 13.2 per thousand.

Lead is often found in the home – peeling paint, for example. Children on the North Shore often live in older single-family homes, or buildings with fewer than three apartments. The NYC regulation (Local Law 1 of 2004) that led to the impressive decrease citywide generally does not apply.

On the North Shore exposure to lead outside the home: in yards, and even in parks (see Veteran’s Park, for example) adds to the risk.

Take care of your children -  make sure they tested at one- and two- years of age for lead levels in their blood, and have them assessed annually for exposure until they are six years of age. Pregnant women should also be tested.

The NSCCEJ wants everyone to pull together to keep our children safe and healthy in and out of their homes. These links provide information on lead hazards. Or, contact us at info@nsccej.org.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOH)

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/lead/lead.shtml

EPA – Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil

http://www.epa.gov/lead/

EPA Brochures and Posters

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/brochure.htm

¹most recent data available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/stats/lead018rate.html