Lead & Public Health

Focusing on the evidence concerning children who are most vulnerable to the effects of lead poisoning, this text asks why lead pollution and poisoning are such important issues, how widespread they are, and who should be responsible for dealing with them.

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In the 1980s and 1990s scientific evidence has accumulated showing how harmful exposure to lead can be, yet little has been done to protect public health from the dangers posed. Taking the lead out of petrol dealt with only one source of exposure; the most serious hazards arise from old leaded paint in homes, schools, factories, and offices, in drinking water, and from old lead pipes. Focusing on the evidence concerning children who are most vulnerable to the effects of lead poisoning, it asks why lead pollution and poisoning are such important issues, how widespread they are, and who should be responsible for dealing with them. It then gives the background to the scientific debate about lead's toxicology and examines the evidence for, and effects of, lead's impact on human health. It analyzes trends in lead production, consumption and uses.