When my daughter was 9 months old, during a routine well-check appointment, her finger was pricked and her lead level tested. I was shocked to hear that it registered a 6 when 10 is considered 'elevated.'
Lead absorption in children is dangerous. It causes developmental delays and neurological problems. If nothing else, it lowers IQ.
After I blurted, 'how can it be so high?' The doctor laughed and said, 'breathe the air. Walk outside.' No way. It wasn't just environmental--it was too high for her not to be directly exposed. I began to look around--really look. It ended up that the battleship-gray thresholds of our exterior doors were worn and chipping. We were dragging lead in on our feet and our baby was rolling around in it. Needless to say, I was beside myself. I loaded up all the toys in bags, bought a play-pen, and began extensively researching lead dust clean up. Here's what I found:
Professional lead abatement is ridiculously expensive. EPA web sites actually give DIY lead clean up instructions. I read everything I could on the subject, integrated ideas, and began this overwhelming task. A forewarning: the entire process is completely anti-environmentally friendly. I was told by a friend, 'you have to temporarily set your ethics aside for the long term health and wellness of your family.' In retrospect I feel that to battle the unnatural (high concentrations of a non-plant based element) it takes unnatural means (vinegar and baking soda just aren't gonna cut it!). It's not a long term treatment, it's once and done.
To begin, I 'stopped the bleeding' by priming and painting worn areas on the thresholds. If the chipping was extensive, I covered the area with tape or butcher-paper (with the intention of correcting the problem in the near future). I then rolled up area rugs and butcher-papered carpeted areas. I went to the hardware store and purchased heavy-duty 'shop' paper towels (they're blue and come in a box--start with 3 boxes), rubber gloves, 2 buckets, and TriSodium Phosphate (TSP)--a heavy duty cleaner that is not environmentally friendly. I also bought extra HEPA filters and extra HEPA filter vacuum bags.
It's important in lead clean up to have a True HEPA vacuum cleaner. Some say that commercial HEPA vacuums are the only ones effective at picking up tiny lead particles and not redistributing them into the air. You can rent them. But who rented it before you?? Who knows what you could be distributing, even by wheeling it into your home. I have a Kenmore canister vacuum with True HEPA filters. When the lead clean up was finished I changed the filter, the bag, and cleaned the exterior of the vacuum, focusing on the wheels.
After clearing the floors, I HEPA vacuumed them. Then in one bucket I prepared my TSP solution, following the directions on the box. The other bucket had clean water. With shop towels and a trash bag in hand I went to work. I dipped the shop towel in the TSP solution and wiped. I flipped the towel and wiped again. You have to use some force as the nature of lead dust is 'sticky.' Then I trashed the paper towel. Next I got a clean paper towel, dipped it in clean water, rinsed the spot I just TSPed, and threw it out. I did all the hardwood, tile, and concrete in this way. After the initial TSP and rinse, I washed all the floors again with a general cleaner.
The chemistry between phosphates and lead allows the phosphate to bind to the lead which immobilizes it. It's then unable to be absorbed by the body.
Lead dust is heavy, so it doesn't travel very far. One lead abatement company said that they clean 5 feet out from the source of the dust.
After removing trim, I TSPed and rinsed from the trim's location to 2 feet out, thinking that if there was any dust created from removal, it'd be taken care of.
As far as the carpet--apparently lead dust is impossible to completely remove from textiles. Our decision was made easy considering the previous homeowner decided to carpet the kitchen floor. We tore it out (I had it cleaned first in an attempt to keep any dust particles down). Area rugs that aren't washable are still awaiting some sort of cleaning. There's something called STTP--sodium tripolyphosphate. It's what's been banned from consumer laundry detergents ("contains no phosphates"), however it is still found in commercial detergents. Said to work wonders in the wash, it softens hard water leaving clothes brighter and with less soap residue. It's the softening of the water that harms the environment by causing algae to proliferate in waterways. Regardless (I hate saying that!), it's useful in cleaning up lead dust containing, washable items--work clothes, area rugs, blankets that have been on the floor, stuffed animals, etc. I suppose one could use a solution of this (it comes granulated) to treat large area rugs and sofas since the phosphate binds to the lead, making the lead non-absorbing. The STTP has relatively no toxicity and has even been used as a food preservative. One website suggested using half the amount of laundry detergent and replacing the other half with STTP for lead dust soiled clothing.
Next, I focused on my baby.
The body views lead like calcium, so if there isn't enough calcium in the diet, the lead is stored in the bones. I also realized that the blood test only tells how much lead is in the blood, not how much, if any, is absorbed.
How can I help her body chelate the lead? I was nursing her and thought it better that any treatment she was given should go through me, and to her via breast milk. Off hand, I knew that seaweeds are naturally chelating and so help rid the body of heavy metals. I also found web sites citing a combination of chlorella and cilantro to speed excretion of lead. Chlorella is taken first, which frees the lead. A little while later, cilantro is eaten which flushes the lead. Chlorella and cilantro have been used as foods for many years and are nutrient rich. The body will naturally chelate the lead as long as a paint chip hasn't been swallowed. So the blood lead levels should drop anyway with decreased exposure.
Soon after our lead abatement project ended, there began the lead-paint toy recalls. A really great item that I found in a hardware store, then purchased in bulk online, is called Lead Check. It tests to see if there is lead present on almost any surface. It looks like a cigarette and contains two glass compartments. Break the compartments and shake to mix. Squeeze the tube until the tip shows a yellow liquid. The directions say to brush the tip directly onto the surface in question, however if the first item contains lead, the tip turns red ("if it's red, there's lead") and the tester is spent. Considering the amount of liquid given and the amount needed per test, I found I could get 5 - 6 tests out of one tester by squeezing the tester fluid onto cotton swabs. I tested porcelain, ceramic, plastic, paint, plaster, etc. They even have a procedure for testing fabric. You use tape to collect surface samples, then test what's on the tape.
And just to keep it in mind--there is lead ALL OVER the house. It's found in all electrical cords--it's part of the safety code since lead keeps plastic pliable and non-pliable plastic breaks, which would expose wires. In the same vein, lead is found in all PVC products, in plastic shopping bags, hoses (all those quick summertime drinks)--oh, and on holiday string lights. Just another reason to 'plastic-down.' Lead is also found in the paint of most ceramics, unless stated 'lead-free.' This includes dishes, pottery, and tile. The highest concentrations are found in the brightest colors. Not wanting my child to eat from plastic bowls, I first chose Corelle ware for her meals. I contacted the company repeatedly to finally be told that Corelle's lead content meets all safety requirements. So it does contain lead. May not seem like a problem since Corelle ware is known to be virtually unbreakable, however--look out!--when it does break it absolutely shatters. It splinters into a thousand pieces that end up 3 feet high and 6 feet wide! After that happened I switched all dishes to Fiestaware. Fiestaware is made in the USA and is marketed as lead-free. Even if it breaks, it doesn't shatter and there are no thoughts of lead dust looming. Seeming like an easy decision, I'm am now regretting it. Fiestaware, it's true, is not made with lead. Instead, it's made with alpha-Alumina. This is what I've found out about Alumina:
Alumina, or Aluminum oxide, a chemical compound of aluminum and oxygen (Al2O3) is made transparent through a process of fusing fine particles. It’s considered non-toxic and is abundantly distributed in nature. It’s responsible for metallic aluminum's resistance to weathering. It is not a metal, but is a soft, fluffy white powder which becomes transparent when mixed with oil. It’s used in the production of aluminum and does contain about 50% aluminum. The crystalline form of aluminum oxide is called corundum, one of the rock-forming minerals. Corundum is naturally clear, but can have different colors when impurities are present. Transparent specimens are used as gems, called ruby if red, called sapphire if any other color. Aluminum oxide is also used for its strength. Most pre-finished wood flooring now uses aluminum oxide as a hard protective coating. It's also used as an ingredient in ceramic glazes. In 2004, 3M developed a technique for making a ceramic composed of aluminum oxide and rare earth elements to produce a strong glass called transparent alumina. Alumina can be grown as a coating on aluminum by anodising or by plasma electrolytic oxidation. Both its strength and abrasive characteristics are due to aluminum oxide's great hardness (position 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness).
Aluminum is a heavy metal and has been linked with disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Though leaching lead is much more serious, who wants to be eating off of potentially toxic dishes. It seems like the only safe dishware may be clear, non-decorative glass; wood; and heavy-metal free ceramics.
Lead accumulation in the body is a very real problem. Even though it's out of sight, it's not out mind. I have eased up quite a bit over the last year (though I do still wash my hands after handling the lamp cord). Still, I am much more conscious of invisibly toxic everyday items.
