Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals, causing health effects.

Lead can be found in all parts of our environment – the air, the soil, the water, and even inside our homes. Much of our exposure comes from human activities including the use of fossil fuels including past use of leaded gasoline, some types of industrial facilities and past use of lead-based paint in homes. 

The Florida Department of Health conducts surveillance of blood lead testing and poisonings in the state, promotes blood lead screening for high-risk populations, and provides information to health care providers, individuals, and businesses on lead poisoning prevention. 

Lead removal warning over property

Lead Poisoning

Protect yourself and your family. Learn more about the risk factors, signs, symptoms, and treatment for lead poisoning.

Sources of Potential Lead Exposure

Lead-Based Paint

The federal government banned lead-based paint from use in housing in 1978, but many homes and apartments built before 1978 still contain lead-based paint. Lead-based paint can be found inside and outside of single family homes, apartments, and both public and private housing built before 1978.

Dust from lead-based paint is the most common source of lead poisoning for children, and home renovation and repair activities that disturb lead-based paint can put children at risk for exposure to hazardous lead dust if not done properly.

Ways to Prevent Lead-Based Paint Exposure

  • If you are considering renovation or repair work on your pre-1978 home, view resources from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
  • Determine the construction year of the home where your child spends a large amount of time (e.g., grandparents or daycare). In housing built before 1978, assume that the paint has lead unless tests show otherwise.
  • Consider testing your home for lead-based paint and dust by an EPA certified lead risk assessor or inspector.
  • Create barriers between living/play areas and lead sources. Parents should clean and isolate all sources of lead. They should close and lock doors to keep children away from chipping or peeling paint on walls.
  • Children and pregnant women should not be present during renovations in housing built before 1978. They should not participate in activities that disturb old paint or in cleaning up paint debris after work is completed.

Outdoor Soils

Children playing in the yard of a home can ingest or inhale lead dust from contaminated soil. Soil can contain lead from exterior paint or be contaminated with lead from the past use of leaded gas in cars.

Ways to Prevent Lead Exposure from Soil

  • Remove your shoes at the door.  Shoes can track in dust and dirt from outside that may be contaminated with lead.
  • Regularly wash children’s hands and toys. Hands and toys can become contaminated from household dust or exterior soil. Both are known lead sources.
  • Prevent children from playing in bare soil. Parents should plant grass on areas of bare soil or cover the soil with grass seed, mulch, or wood chips, if possible. Until the bare soil is covered, parents should move play areas away from bare soil and away from the sides of the house. If using a sandbox, parents should cover the box when not in use.

Drinking Water

Plumbing may have lead or lead solder which can contaminate your water. You cannot see, smell, or taste lead, and boiling your water will not get rid of lead. To test for lead, contact your local county health department or water supplier to learn more about testing options.

If you are concerned about lead in water or know that your plumbing contains lead, you can take action to reduce the amount of lead in your drinking water and minimize your potential for exposure.

  • Water that comes out of the tap warm or hot can have higher levels of lead. Boiling this water will not reduce the amount of lead in your water.
  • Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking, and for making baby formula.

Jobs and Hobbies

Work and hobby sites where lead is used have lead dust. Individuals can bring it home on their hands or clothes. Some hobbies that use lead include making pottery, stained glass, jewelry making, refinishing furniture, and home repair. There are other hobbies that use lead.

Some jobs that involve lead include battery recycling or manufacturing, smelting or welding, heating/air conditioning or ventilation maintenance, auto/radiator repair, and bridge painting. There are other jobs that use lead.

Ways to reduce lead exposure from jobs and hobbies

Avoid taking lead dust home from work or hobby sites. Household members who come in contact with lead through work or a hobby should change clothes and shower after finishing a task that involves lead-based products. Wash work clothes separately from the rest of your family’s laundry.

Consumer Products

Some painted toys and old furniture contain lead, along with traditional home remedies, imported candies, and some cookware may also contain lead.

Ways to reduce lead exposure from Consumer Products

  • In-home testing kits are also available at local hardware stores. Be aware that these kits only test the surface for lead and are not considered the most reliable method for determining the presence or absence of lead in a product.
  • Avoid eating candies imported from Mexico.
  • Avoid using containers, cookware, or tableware that are not been shown to be lead free.
  • Review recalls for toys and jewelry and immediately remove anything that has lead.
  • If you are concerned that a product you own may contain lead, you can have it tested.

Foods and Liquids Stored In Lead Crystal or Lead-Glazed Pottery or Porcelain

  • Food may become contaminated when lead leaches from these containers.
  • Avoid using containers, cookware, or tableware that has not been shown to be lead free.

Traditional or Folk Remedies

  • Some traditional or folk remedies contain lead, such as “greta” and “azarcon”. These items are sometimes used to treat an upset stomach.
  • Avoid using traditional home remedies and cosmetics that may contain lead.
Printable Awareness Resources
Lead in Consumer Products
What Your Child’s Blood Lead Level Means
How to Clean Lead Dust

Adult Lead Poisoning Prevention Flyers

Lead in Home Remedies

Keeping Your Children Safe from Lead Poisoning

Handbook for parents: English | Spanish | Creole
Are you Pregnant: English | Spanish

Prevent Lead Exposure During Pregnancy

Are You Pregnant: English | Spanish

Lead Exposure from Using Imported Cosmetics

Surma can poison children

Surma Fact Sheet

Surma Fact sheet (in Pashto)

Surma Fact sheet (in Dari)

Resources
Florida Laws and Regulations