Where does Lead come from?
- Contact surfaces - opening and closing lead-painted windows and
doors makes lead dust rub-off
- Dishes and ceramics - some glazed pottery and pots may contain
lead
- Scraping or sanding lead paint creates a hazard - areas of chipping,
peeling, and flaking lead paint are hazards
- Lead in soil - Lead in soil, from fallen lead paint flakes or dust,
around foundations of older homes can contaminate hands, shoes, clothing, pets and
plants that come in contact with the soil. Soil near roads may have become contaminated
from with lead from car fumes (until as late as 1986, lead was put in gasoline as
an additive).
- Lead at work - people who work with lead may bring lead dust home
on their clothes
- Lead in food - lead dust can get into soil where food is grown.
Wash food before eating and cooking. However, some plants actually take up the lead
out of the ground and washing will not remove it. Do not grow food crops near old
buildings.
- Imported candies or foods - especially from Mexico, containing
chili or tamarind. Lead can be found in candy, wrappers, pottery containers, and
in certain ethnic foods, such as chapulines (dried grasshoppers). See a database
of toxic candies at http://www.ocregister.com/investigations/2004/lead/index.php
- Imported or handmade pottery and tableware with leaded glaze -
The lead from the glaze gets into food and beverages when these ceramics are used
for cooking or storing food.
- Imported food in cans that are sealed with lead solder - Some countries
other than the United States still allow lead solder in food cans. Cans that have
lead solder have very wide seams.
- Imported home remedies and imported cosmetics may contain lead
- They often are imported from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, the Dominican
Republic, or Mexico. The remedies are often bright yellow or orange in color.
Examples include: Alarcon, Alkohl,
Azarcon, Bali goli, Bint al zahab, Coral, Greta, Farouk, Ghasard, Kandu, Kohl, Liga,
Litargirio, Lozeena, Pay-loo-ah, Sindoor, and Surma. There are many others.
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