HOW TO REDUCE YOUR LEAD INTAKE

Lead in food - After phasing out lead in gasoline, reducing lead levels in food should be our greatest health priority. Lead intake from fresh vegetables and fruits can be reduced by thorough washing and by peeling root vegetables. Food produced close to heavy traffic or lead-emitting industries will have more lead. Fertilizers with sewage sludge added to them may boost soil lead levels - check with the supplier. Lead in processed foods is picked up at various stages from growing to packaging. There are estimates that 13 to 22 per cent of our dietary lead intake is from lead-soldered food cans. Unfortunately, the U.S. does not regulate and test for lead in all canned foods. The current FDA guideline for lead in most food is 0.25 ppm. Food in cans with lead soldered seams can be dangerous, particularly cans that contain acidic substances such as fruit juices, fruits and some vegetables. Imported canned goods are more likely to have lead soldered seams. Cans with round bottoms (extruded cans) are safe and do not have a seam or use lead. You can test any can seam with LEAD INSPECTOR. Watch for white powdery lead compounds beneath corroded lead foil wine bottle wrap, especially after horizontal storage. You can test wine bottle wrap with LEAD INSPECTOR to see if it contains lead. Drinking water and plumbing - After several hours, tap water standing in pipes may dissolve unhealthy amounts of lead from pipe solder. In areas with soft, non mineralized water, run taps for 30 seconds or until cold before using water to drink or cook. Request lead-free solder when plumbing is installed or repaired, and don't drink water from the hot water tap, as it has higher levels of dissolved metals. Excessive lead levels in potable water may be determined by using LEAD INSPECTOR. Lead piping in older homes and solder joints can also be tested for lead using LEAD INSPECTOR. Click here for actionable levels for lead in potable (drinking) water. Soil and Dust/Dirt - The closer your home is to heavy automobile traffic or to lead-emitting industries, the more lead is deposited in household dust and in gardens. Every cigarette smoked adds a measurable amount of lead to household dust. Regular damp dusting, wet mopping, and cleaning, especially near windows and entrances, help control lead dust. You can test for lead particulate in dust by using Lead Inspector. Keep young children from playing near traffic or lead-emitting industries. Ensure they have a frequent, thorough hand-washing. Sucking a finger with city dust on it can add a serious dose of lead to a child's daily intake. If you suspect your garden has elevated lead deposits from traffic or industry, have soil tested with LEAD INSPECTOR, before growing food. Watch for peeling exterior paint, so that paint flakes don't contaminate soil around buildings. Burning candles with lead wicks not only emits lead particles into the air - but those particles also ultimately settle out as dust on walls and floors. The lead-dust from these candles may actually be mistaken for lead-based paint.