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Getting Ahead of Lead

LEAD PAINT WAS BANNED IN THE U-S ALMOST THIRTY YEARS AGO, BUT IT STILL EXISTS IN MANY OLDER HOMES.  HEAR HOW ONE COUNTY’S STAYING AHEAD OF THE LEAD ON THIS ENVIRONMINUTE.

COORDINATOR AIMEE EINFELD OF THE VIGO (VEE-go) COUNTY, INDIANA HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS MANY AREA HOMES HAVE FLAKINGLEAD PAINT THAT CAN ENDANGER CHILDREN.

EINFELD "EVEN A LOW LEVEL OF LEAD EXPOSURE CAN CAUSE A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISABILITIES SUCH AS LEARNING DISABILITIES,   SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, HEARING DAMAGE, AND A LONG LIST OF OTHER SERIOUS HEALTH EFFECTS."

SO TO PREVENT LEAD POISONING, A VIGO COUNTY COALITION IS HANDING OUT FLYERS, OFFERING A LEAD-SAFE WORK PRACTICES SEMINAR, AND PROVIDING TESTING IN SCHOOLS. 

AND WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY? CLEAN OFTEN, KEEP KIDS AWAY FROM PEELING PAINT, HAVE YOUR CHILDREN TESTED, AND CALL A CERTIFIED CONRACTOR TO HAVE LEAD PAINT REMOVED.

To learn more about lead poisoning prevention, please visit http://www.epa.gov/lead/index.html.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org