LEAD
        Exposure to lead happens from breathing workplace air or dust, and eating contaminated foods. Children can be exposed from eating lead-based paint chips, or playing in contaminated soil. Lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and the immune systems.

        What is Lead? Lead is a naturally occurring bluish-gray metal found in small amounts in the earth's crust. It has no special taste or smell. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment. Most of it came from human activities like mining, manufacturing, and the burning of fossil fuels.

        How Might I Be Exposed to Lead?
- Breathing workplace air (lead smelting, refining, and manufacturing industries)
- Eating lead-based paint chips
- Drinking water that comes from lead pipes or lead soldered fittings
- Breathing or ingesting contaminated soil, dust, air, or water near waste sites
- Breathing tobacco smoke
- Eating contaminated food grown on soil containing lead or foot covered with lead-containing dust - Breathing fumes or ingesting lead from hobbies that use lead (leaded-glass, ceramics)

        How Can Lead Affect My Health? Lead can affect almost every organ and system in your body. The most sensitive is the central nervous system, particularly in children. Lead also damages kidneys and the immune system. The effects are the same whether it is breathed or swallowed.

        Exposure to lead is more dangerous for young and unborn children. Unborn children can be exposed to lead through their mothers. Harmful effects include premature births, smaller babies, decreased mental ability in the infant, learning difficulties, and reduced growth in young children. These effects are more common after exposure to high levels of lead.

        In adults, lead may decrease reaction time, cause weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles, and possibly affect the memory. Lead may cause anemia, a disorder of the blood. It can cause abortion and damage the male reproductive system. The connection between these effects and exposure to low levels of lead is uncertain.

        The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that lead acetate and lead phosphate may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens based on studies in animals. There is inadequate evidence to clearly determine lead's carcinogenicity in humans.

        What Levels Protect Human Health? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children be screened for lead poisoning at least once a year. This is especialy important for children between six months and six years.

        The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires lead in air not to exceed 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter (1.53 µg/m3 ) averaged over three months. EPA limits lead in drinking water to 15 micrograms per liter 15 µg/L).




Source: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/puc/wqfs/tocsec4.htm