This year’s theme is, “Let’s Wipe Out Lead Poisoning–Renovate Right!” and reflects our commitment to ensuring that all homes are made lead-safe for children, especially during home renovation. As part of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, many states and communities plan to offer free lead screening, and to conduct various education and awareness events.
The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) goals of 2008 National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week are:
The federal government’s goal is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in the United States as a major public health problem by the year 2010.
As a result of these past and on-going efforts, children’s blood-lead levels have declined dramatically since the mid-1970s. In 1978, there were about 13.5 million children in the United States with elevated blood-lead levels. Currently, approximately 310,000 children ages 1-5 years in the United States have blood-lead levels greater than the Centers for Disease Control recommended level of 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.
The United States Department of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focuses on the importance of educating parents and children about the dangers of lead exposure, especially lead-paint hazards in housing. EPA’s new Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) is designed to protect families from the dangers of lead dust resulting from renovations and everyday painting and repairs. The rule requires the use of lead-safe paint removal practices to ensure that activities such as sanding, cutting, and demolition do not disburse harmful lead dust into a family’s air, food and clothing.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) goals for this week are in line with CDC’s and EPA’s. HUD is committed to eliminating the threat of childhood lead poisoning from our nation’s housing.
Poster for this event can be downloaded here: English Spanish