Hybrid Living

In a word, yes.

In many more words, here’s the scoop – Lead can be deadly at super high levels, usually in children, pregnant women, or already sick or nutritionally compromised adults. However, you or your kids are much more likely to experience low or medium level lead exposure vs. high exposure. Not that low level exposure is so great.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), lead poisoning in children can result in IQ deficits, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, stunted or slowed growth, and impaired hearing. Once more lead gets into a child’s system, a child may suffer kidney damage, become mentally retarded, fall into a coma, and at those super high levels, yes even die from lead poisoning. Also, research shows that lead poisoning has been associated with a significantly increased high-school dropout rate, as well as increases in juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior.

Wow! How much fun is lead?! Not so much right. The biggest source of lead may be your home. Lead-based paints were banned in 1978, but the NSC notes that there are still about 38 million homes that contain some lead paint. That’s about 40% of all US housing.

Other sources of lead in or near your home include:

• Old lead pipes that still serve as water service lines in older US cities may be continuing to leach lead into drinking water.
• Lead dishes – lead in dishes is technically supposed to be regulated by the FDA (but, by the way, they can’t possibly catch everything). Tons of dishes are still in the U.S. that are chock full full of lead. In part because you can’t destroy all old dishes very efficiently, so places like thrift stores and garage sales can pass lead containing dishes along, and also imported dishes are not under lead regulation.
• In soil around your home. Soil can pick up lead from exterior paint or may have some from the past use of leaded gas in cars. If you or your kids ingest or inhale dust from this soil, you’re also getting lead in your system.
• Old painted toys and furniture may still contain lead if they were made before regulations appeared. New toys made by shady folks can also contain lead.
• Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain will leach lead directly into liquid which you then drink.
• Hobbies such as pottery, stained glass, or refinishing furniture can all result in lead exposure.

To protect your family:

The EPA offers a full guide about how to check your home for lead, and get the lead out. Also you should learn more about how to purchase eco-friendly dishes that are lead free. Lastly take special care to make sure your baby is not exposed to lead.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Is the lead in your home really deadly?