Salt Lake Valley Health Department
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Lead Free Kids, Lead Safe Housing Program
What is lead?
Lead is a metal that has been used in many things such as paint, gasoline,pottery, water pipes, batteries, and other products. It has been useful, but it is also a poison. Lead can harm anyone who swallows or breathes it, and is especially dangerous for young children.
Why do we worry about lead?
Lead is a poison for adults and children, and can cause:
In Adults: high blood pressure, fertility problems, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, irritability, and memory or concentration problems.
In children: exposure to even a small amount of lead can result in learning disabilities, reduced IQ, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, slowed growth, and impaired hearing. At high levels, lead poisoning can cause convulsions, coma, and death.
Where is lead found?
- In older homes: lead from paint in older houses is the biggest source of childhood lead poisoning. Many homes built before 1978 have paint that contains lead. When the paint chips, peels, or is worn by friction, there is a danger of lead exposure. Lead may also be present in a home’s water pipes, but in Salt Lake County this is not usually a problem because our water has many minerals which coat the pipes and reduce contact with any lead that may be in the pipes.
- At the worksite: jobs that involve demolition or remodeling older homes, working with batteries or radiators, welding, or working at a shooting range are among those that may expose workers to lead. These people may unknowingly bring lead dust home on clothes, shoes, hair, or skin.
- Hobbies: hobbies that may expose people to lead include packing bullets, making or using lead fishing sinkers, working with stained glass, pottery, or ceramics, and refinishing furniture.
- Mexican candy: some Mexican candies sold in the USA may contain lead, particularly those that contain chili powder or tamarind.
- Other sources: people can be exposed to lead in other ways, too, such as contact with bare soil, contaminated air, ceramics and pottery, some home remedies and ethnic medicines, and hair dyes and cosmetics.