2 LEAD DUST: 
WHY IS IT A PRDBLEM? 
T his chapter provides an overview of the problems posed by lead dust. The information 
in this chapter should be useful to anyone interested in lead dust hazards and mitiga¬ 
tion, including community organizers responsible for implementing a lead dust pro¬ 
gram or homeowners concerned about elevated lead levels in their own homes. 
• Section 2.1 discusses what lead poisoning is and how it affects children s health. 
• Section 2.2 discusses the sources of lead in dust. 
• Section 2.3 describes the key pathways for childhood exposure to lead. 
• Section 2.4 lists resources for additional information. 
2.1 What Is Lead Pdisdning? 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1 million children 
living in the United States in the early 1990s had lead in their blood at levels high enough to 
cause irreversible damage to their health. CDC defines elevated lead levels in children as 10 
micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood ( g/dL) or higher. Although there is no known safe 
level of lead in blood, lead poisoning is entirely preventable. 
The CDC recommends certain actions for various blood lead levels. In its 1991 report, 
Preventing Lead Poisoning In Young Children, the CDC recommended an intervention plan, 
which is currently still in use. In general, CDC recommends urgent follow up for children with 
blood lead levels of 43 g/dL. These children should be taken to a clinic or medical center with 
experience in managing childhood lead poisoning. A child with a blood lead level greater than 
70 g/dL should be hospitalized immediately. The CDC recommends that treatment for lead 
toxicity, at any level, must always involve removing the child from further exposure. Treating a 
child for lead toxicity is futile unless the child s exposure can be reduced. 
Although childhood lead exposure has diminished in the past 23 years, the problem is far from 
solved. Deteriorating housing, lack of resources, lack of access to medical care, poor nutrition, 
and language barriers all contribute to poor and minority children being at risk for lead poison¬ 
ing. However, no economic or ethnic/racial group is free from the risk of lead poisoning. Many 
affluent families renovating older homes, for example, have inadvertently exposed themselves 
and their children to lead hazards through unsafe lead paint removal techniques. 
Health Effects df Lead Pdisdning 
Lead poisoning affects nearly every system in the body and often occurs without noticeable 
symptoms. Although lead can affect adults, children under the age of 6 are especially vulnerable 
to the adverse effects of lead. The incomplete development of the blood-brain barrier in fetuses 
and very young children (up to 36 months of age) increases the risk of lead s entry into the 
nervous system. Low but chronic exposure can affect the developing nervous system in subtle 
but persistent ways. In children, blood lead levels as low as 10 to 15 g/dL can stunt growth 
rates, affect attention span, cause learning disabilities, lower IQ scores, impair hearing acuity, 
and cause behavioral problems. In addition, fetuses exposed to elevated levels of lead can suffer 
Lead Dust: Why Is It A Problem? 
9 
