Administration and staff with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6 promoted lead poisoning prevention Oct. 27 at the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in Dallas, Texas.
Held in partnership with the Dallas Environmental Commission, the event was held during Children’s Environmental Health Month, recognizing Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, held Oct. 23-29, a news release said.
“Lead exposure and poisoning remain threats for children, especially those who live or go to school in older buildings, and can lead to lifelong health issues,” EPA Regional Administrator Earthea Nance said in the release. “But the good news is these threats are largely preventable by avoiding exposure. During Lead Poisoning Prevention Week — and throughout the year — EPA and the Biden-Harris administration will keep working to raise awareness and provide investments to keep children all across the nation safe in their homes and schools.”
Residential use of lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but it is present in older homes. Lead exposure can lead to developmental impairment, impaired hearing, learning disabilities, reduced attention span, behavioral problems and hyperactivity, the release said. Blood-lead tests determine elevated blood-lead levels.
“As someone who grew up in the shadow of a lead smelter plant in West Dallas, I firmly believe in the importance of understanding the risks of lead poisoning and exposure,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in the release. “All of our children deserve to grow up in safe and healthy communities, and I am grateful to the EPA for its work to raise awareness of this issue in Dallas.”
