North Carolina Lead Poisoning - Hendren Redwine & Malone

Centers For Disease Control Recommends Lowering Threshold For Harmful Blood Lead Levels

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

For the first time in 20 years, the United States Centers For Disease Control is considering lowering the threshold blood lead level. The current level is 10 ug/dl and this level dictates how many health agencies address childhood lead poisoning. A recent vote by the CDC Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning recommends lowering the level to 5 ug/dl. Apparently, the recommendation was made as the result of mounting evidence that the harmful effects of lead poisoning with lower levels of lead.

Click here for more on this important development.

Baltimore, Maryland Clinic Sued For Deliberately Exposing Black Children To Lead Poisoning

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In a terrible story, a Baltimore, Maryland medical facility has been sued in a class action for allegedly deliberately exposing inner city black children to hazardous lead in order to measure whether efforts to control contamination were effective. The clinic, Kennedy Krieger, is affiliated with Johns Hopkins which is a renowned medical institute. The case has been filed as a class action. Click here for more on this story.

Some Consumer Goods Still Contain Excessive Lead

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Despite recent bans and recalls, many imported consumer goods still contain excessive levels of lead. Millions of Shrek glasses at McDonalds and children’s clothing and jewelry were recently tested and found to contain excessive lead. For more, click here.

Study of Lead Effects at Low Levels Could Affect EPA Regulations

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

From 9-17-10 Inside EPA, an article on a new analysis planned of health
impacts of low-level lead exposure.
——

NTP Study Of Low-Level Lead Health Effects Could Drive EPA Regulations

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) is developing an analysis of the
current scientific evidence surrounding the human health risks of lead at
extremely low levels, particularly reproductive effects, an analysis that
could drive a host of new EPA regulations governing air emissions, lead
dust, drinking water and other environmental releases of the metal.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which
intends to use NTP’s conclusions when considering new recommended exposure
limits (RELs) for workers, requested that NTP’s Center for the Evaluation of
Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) conduct the analysis in 2007 to address
the disconnect between its current occupational exposure limits of 40
micrograms per deciliter (ug/dL) in adult workers, including women of
child-bearing age, and data showing adverse effects in children at much
lower levels, a NIOSH source says.

The Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) considers a blood lead
level of 10 ug/dL to be an elevated level of concern in children, but
acknowledges that adverse effects have occurred at lower levels, saying
there may not be a safe threshold level for blood lead in children, and the
CERHR source says studies may indicate that levels below 10 ug/dL could be
of substantial concern to adults as well. [snip]

NTP announced in an Aug. 23 Federal Register notice that it is collecting
information about ongoing studies or upcoming publications on lead exposures
lower than 10 ug/dL for consideration in the evaluation, and asked for
nominations of science advisers to an ad hoc panel to conduct a peer review
of the pending monograph.

In addition to developing a weight of evidence framework for pinpointing
adverse health effects at low level lead exposures, the monograph will also
seek to identify vulnerable lifestages for such exposures, specific blood
lead levels associated with particular endpoints, whether additional
biomarkers, such as bone lead, are associated with the effect, and how those
biomarkers may be linked to the blood lead level.

The CERHR source says the monograph will address a “full suite of effects”
besides reproductive endpoints, including renal toxicity, hypertension,
dental caries, and neurotoxic effects to “provide clarity where there are
the most questions.”

The focus of the evaluation, which should be published by spring or early
summer of 2011, will consider only human epidemiological data concerning
levels at or below 10 ug/dL, and seek to identify a low enough blood lead
level to serve as a sort of control group, a difficult task since nearly
everyone in the population has some degree of blood lead, the CERHR source
says.

“We don’t really see a level of lead that’s safe,” the NIOSH source says.
[snip]

A science advisory panel said in July that EPA’s planned approach for
assessing risks and limiting exposure to lead paint dust in private
residences and in developing the safety rules for commercial buildings,
undercut risk because they failed to take into account reproductive and
developmental endpoints at low blood lead levels. [snip]

— Bridget DiCosmo
——

The Federal Register notice is available at
http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=mhXuDK/4/1/0&WAISaction=retrieve.

Class Action Claims Lead Taints Food

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As reported, a class action has been filed alleging that lead has contaminated more than 100 food products for babies and children. Named as defendants in Denver are Coca-Cola, Gerber, Motts and the Hain Celestial Group. Named plaintiff Suzanne Kennedy claims the defendants produce dozens of supposedly kid-friendly products with lead levels that violate California’s safe drinking water standards.

Lead Poisoning Linked to Poor School Performance

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As reported by the Detroit Free Press, a large study of over then thousand children indicates a link between between higher lead levels and poor academic performance. About 60% of Detroit Public School students who performed below their grade level on 2008 standardized tests had elevated lead levels.

Lead Poisoned Children Numbers Declining

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As reported by the New York Times today, the number of lead poisoned children is continuing to decline.

If you have a question about a North Carolina lead poisoned child, please contact Mike Malone at Hendren and Malone.

EPA issues new Lead-Based Paint rule

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As reported by USA Today, on starting April 22, contractors who work on pre-1978 houses must be certified in lead-based paint safe practices.

Indeed, this is a good thing for children as lead poisoning can result from improper lead-based paint practices during renovations.

Rhode Island Landlord Cited by EPA for Lead-Paint Violations

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

According to a recent article in the Providence Journal, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it is proposing thousands of dollars in penalties for a Woonsocket landlord who allegedly failed to inform tenants of risks to exposure to lead paint.

Lead Poisoning Study Shows Kidney Damage at Low Blood Lead Levels

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Reuters Health recently reported that researchers at Johns Hopkins University have just annonuced the results of a study that shows evidence of early kidney damage in children with lead levels far below what is normally considered dangerous. The researchers studied test results from 769 adolescents aged 12 to 20 who took partin the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 1994. “Our findings were particularly striking because we saw slightly decreased kidney function in healthy children without conditions that could account for it, and this could spell more kidney trouble down the road as these children get older or if they acquire additional risk factors for kidney disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes,” said Dr. Susan Furth of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, who worked on the study.

Lead Poisoning and Brain Damage Linked

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Childhood lead exposure causes permanent brain damage with lifelong consequences, according to new research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Researchers led by Kim Cecil used functional MRI technology to show that activity decreases in regions of the brain that control decision-making and emotional response in people who suffered lead exposure as children.

U.S. EPA fines Long Beach landlord $7,952 over lead-based paint violations

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently has fined a Long Beach, Calif., property owner $7,952 for allegedly violating federal lead-based paint disclosure requirements at six rental properties.

During a routine inspection in 2005, the EPA discovered that residential property owner James Williams failed to disclose whether reports about lead-based paint or lead hazards existed for his apartment complex prior to tenants signing lease agreements which was in violation of the federally regulated Toxic Substances Control Act.

“This action confirms EPA’s commitment to enforcing toxic substances regulations to protect families, especially children, from potential lead-based paint hazards,” said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the EPA’s Communities and Ecosystems Division for the Pacific Southwest region. “Childhood lead poisoning from exposure to lead-based paint chips or dust continues to be an environmental challenge. Without adequate information about lead hazards, tenants and home owners cannot protect themselves and their families from the significant risks that these hazards present.”

Baltimore Jury Awards $2.5 Million for Lead Poisoned Siblings

Hendren Redwine & Malone — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As reported on November 4, 2009 by the Baltimore Sun, a Baltimore city jury has recently awarded more than $2.5 million to a pair of siblings who were poisoned by lead-based paint while living in a West Baltimore rowhouse that their mother had been told was “lead safe.”