Environmental

• Paint: Lead was used in house paint until it was banned in 1978. Lead Dust is created when lead paint is disturbed by renovations like hanging pictures, scrapping, sanding etc. Lead paint dust and lead paint chips can also form as a result of deterioration from water damage, age, and use etc.

• Soil: Leaded gasoline for general use was discontinued in 1996. Lead can be found in high concentrations in the soil near large volume roadways due to leaded gasoline emissions. Lead-based paint on buildings or structures can also contaminate the soil with paint chips or lead dust.

• Water: Drinking water may contain lead due to the use of lead pipes or lead solder ( a alloy used in welding). The use of lead pipes and solder for potable (drinking) water supplies was banned in 1987. Non-potable sources like hoses, bathroom sinks and tube faucets are not regulated.

• Other: Lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain, cosmetics, some imported spices, fishing sinkers etc.

Occupational

If you or others in your family work with lead, make sure that any lead-contaminated clothing is handled safely and washed separately from household laundry. Keep work areas away from any areas where children are present. Use proper respiratory protection any time you are working with lead. The following are some occupations which may result in lead exposure and consequently bring lead into the home:

• Battery manufactures
• Auto mechanics
• Metal smelters & lead-reclamation plants
• Miners, especially lead miners
• Glass manufactures
• Painters
• Plastic manufactures
• Printers
• Ceramic or crystal ware manufactures
• Lead abatement workers
• Steel welders or cutters

Certain hobbies have a high lead exposure

• Oil painting
• Stained glass
• Pottery making
• Refinishing furniture
• Hunting or fishing equipment
• Lead soldering

Other sources of lead exposure

• Medicinal (folk remedies)
• Lead-based cosmetics and pottery
• Antique furniture and toys

Note: "Lead" pencils manufactured today DO NOT contain lead; they contain graphite.

Housekeeping

• Keep children away from peeling or chipping paint and accessible or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint, especially windowsills and places dust collects in them. Friction from opening and closing old windows with lead-based paint can make fine dust which children can breathe in. This dust can also be eaten when the child puts their hands or toys in their mouths while playing.

• Clean floors, window frames, windowsills and other painted surfaces weekly with warm water and Dawn dish soap.

• Rinse floors with clean water and a different mop.

• Rinse walls and other surfaces and using disposable paper towels or rags.

• Do not vacuum hard surfaces, use wet cleaning to prevent breathing in lead dust.

• On carpets, use vacuums with HEPA filters.

• Typical household vacuums scatter dust further since it does not have a HEPA filter

• Wash children's hands, faces, and pacifiers frequently.

• Wash plastic toys weekly in warm water with mild soap like dawn.

  Home Owners and Tenants Guide

Nutrition

Make sure your child's diet contains an adequate amount of iron and calcium.

• Foods high in iron: fortified cereals, cooked beans, spinach and raisins.
• Foods high in calcium: milk, yogurt, cheese and green vegetables.

Food

To reduce the risk of lead in your food see the pointers below.

• Store in food safe containers
  • Do not store food in open cans, especially imported cans.
  • Do not store or serve food in pottery that is meant for decorative use only or that is imported without testing it for lead.
  • Do not store wine or other alcoholic beverages in leaded crystal decanters or other lead crystal containers.
• Wash all fruits and Vegetables regardless of source.
• Be aware that imported foods and spices may come from a country with different lead regulations.
• Click here for Dietary recommendations

• Prepare food in lead safe cookware

  • Get imported pots, pans, and pressure cookers tested for lead if you purchased them from abroad.

  • Do not use nonstick pans from before 2013.

    • These have a risk of lead.

  • If you live in an area with lead in water only use filtered or bottled water for cooking.

  • Only use appropriate cooking utensils intended for use in the kitchen

  • Imported utensils may contain lead.

Soil

Lead paint chips, lead dust, and leaded gasoline can all contaminate nearby soil impacting children who may play in the area and those who eat produce grown in that soil. Soil samples may be taken during a lead inspection. It is often recommended to remove and replace affected soil planting. While you are waiting for testing or removal, you can block the bare soil by laying mulch, putting down gravel, rubber matting, or tarps. If gardening, use raised beds with new soil.

Other ways to reduce health risks from soil include keeping children from digging in areas that might contain lead, hand washing after playing outdoors, use of doormats, keeping pets paws clean, leaving shoes outside of home, and cleaning dirt and mud off shoes.

Renovations and Remodeling

Water

Lead pipes were used in water and wastewater systems for centuries due to them being easy to work with, having high durability, and corrosion resistance. They are no longer used in the construction of homes, but they still exist in a lot of the public systems that run under the roads and connects your house to the main water lines.

What is a considered a high lead level for drinking water? And what can I do to prevent it?

• Drinking water that has lead at 15 parts per billion or more is consider high. When drinking water taken from more than 10 % of homes in a city is above that level, it is considered actionable and that is when Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) begins corrective actions with the city. This is referred to as an Action Level Exceedance (ALE).

To access testing for your water contact EGLE.

Water filters can help you to have safe drinking water.

• Do not run hot water through the water filter. This damages the filter and it will not be able to filter out lead effectively.

• If in a Boil Water Advisory only boil filtered water. Boiling water will not remove lead; it only increases lead concentration.