What is Lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring bluish-gray metal found in small amounts in the earth's crust. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment. Much of it comes from human activities including burning fossil fuels, mining, and manufacturing.
Lead has many different uses. It is used in the production of batteries, ammunition, metal products (solder and pipes), and devices to shield X-rays.
Because of health concerns, lead from gasoline, paints and ceramic products, caulking, and pipe solder has been dramatically reduced since the 1970's.
Lead has been found in at least 1,026 of 1,467 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Health Effects
Lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive system. Children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. A child who ingests large amounts of lead may develop blood anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. Even at lower levels lead exposure can affect a child's mental and physical growth.
Lead in Montana
In Montana some occupations have an increased risk of lead poisoning. Ammunition re-loaders can be exposed to lead dust from lead shot. People remodeling older homes can inhale lead dust when they disturb walls with lead paint. Those making stained glass can inhale the fumes from the hot lead solder. Children often come in contact with dust containing lead in older homes that have lead paint on the walls or when they play in soil contaminated with lead. Some areas of Montana have high lead levels in the soil or water as a result of a nearby smelter.
Butte and East Helena are two areas affected by historical industrial smelting. Both have lead screening programs in place for children and there are soil abatement procedures in areas of high concentrations. There was a coordinated Montana Lead Program from 1994 to 2001. This Statewide program has been discontinued due to lack of funding. Active lead screening and abatement programs however continue at some local health departments. Lab results of blood lead levels from around the State continue to be reported to the State Department of Health and Human Services.
Adapted from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,ToxFAQ's http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts13.html
For more information about lead exposure see the website links below.
Local contacts for information on active lead programs in East Helena and Butte are:
Butte-Silverbow Health Department Residential Multipathway Lead Abatement Program: (406) 497-5024
East Helena Lead Education and Abatement Program; (406) 227-8451
Web Links
Montana Specific
Environmental Protection Agency: East Helena Superfund Site
http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/sites/mt/ehelena.html
Lead Education and Abatement Program, East Helena, Montana
http://co.lewis-clark.mt.us/text/health/environmental/leaded.htm
Helena Independent Record: ASARCO - The Legacy
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2001/04/08/stories/headline/1a1.txt
Helena Independent Record: Lead Screening in East Helena
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2002/11/07/stories/helena/7a1.txt
Other Links
National Safety Council fact sheet: lead poisoning
http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/lead.htm
American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org/air/air00_lead.html
Environmental Protection Agency: Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil
http://www.epa.gov/lead/index.html
US Department of Labor - Occupational Health and Safety Administration
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/lead/index.html
CDC - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance Program (ABLES)
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ables.html
Physicians for Social Responsibility: lead in drinking water
http://www.envirohealthaction.org/upload_files/DWLead.pdf
Children's Health - Educational Materials
Environmental Protection Agency: Education and Outreach
http://www.epa.gov/lead/leadpbed.htm
CDC - Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
http://rmrpehsu.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=subtopics&topicsubid=1&t=1
National Center for Healthy Housing
http://www.centerforhealthyhousing.org
HUD: Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/index.cfm
This website is supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U50/CCU822453 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.
