Lead is a toxic metal that I am surprised has only been banned in the US since 1978. With how many studies there are presenting the negative side effects to humans of lead exposure, it truly baffles me. I am also surprised why in the 1960s the CDC thought that an acceptable toxic threshold for lead was 60 mg/dl. Luckily, today, that threshold has been lowered to 5 mg/dl. The focus of lead exposure in children is very much needed. Children are such a vulnerable population due to their excessive hand-to-mouth activity and the fact that that a child’s gut absorbs lead much more readily than an adults. A child’s central nervous system is also greatly affected by lead exposure causing headaches, behavioral changes, alternations in consciousness, and convulsions.
I feel that more needs to be done to ban the use of lead universally. With how many products are made oversees, a universal act would not only protect the vulnerable populations from lead exposure (like the children) but it would also make our population healthier.
I agree - lead should be fully banned globally to prevent the damaging effects on children and people around the world. It always seems like unsafe practices leave developed countries and land on developing ones for their detriment.
ReplyDelete