Sunday, January 27, 2008

Lead that nasty heavy metal

(And I don't mean a rock group) is now believed to be a cause of increased aging in people exposed to it at a young age.

Lead


Something this article fails to mention is that since lead was used in gasoline for decades before being removed, the residule lead at the edge of roadways across the nation is still present. I remember when I was first certified to remove lead. One of the very first jobs was to remove lead paint at a daycare. The standard proceedure was to take wipe and soil samples after the removal was completed to prove that there was no lead remaining. Only problem was the consulting firm doing the samples could not get a totally clean sample. The shrubs, trees, grass and dirt had been contaminated from years of cars driving by. What was done? You guessed it. All of the shrubs, trees, grass and about a foot of dirt were removed from the site.
Always wise to wear gloves when working in the dirt and don't forget to wash your hands after.

2 comments:

pygalgia said...

Today's WaPo has an article that could have used you as a source.

Demeur said...

Unfortunately I didn't have access to the WaPo on that day, but most of the info I know can be found on the CDC website. I've noticed however that the CDC has become politicized in the last few years and some of their science is now some what questionable.