ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.

DONATE TO EWG TODAY

We need you to help protect your health and environment!  Please donate $5 to EWG today.

GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS

Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.

Get EWG widgets & blog badges.

ENVIROBLOG TO YOU

 Enviroblog in your Reader

ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL

Delivered by FeedBurner

You could (almost) eat this furniture

Is your sunscreen in EWG's Sunscreen Hall of Shame?

Fracking: Live chat with EWG & 'Gasland' director Josh Fox

Understanding Sunscreen: 4 Questions about SPF

SEARCH ENVIROBLOG

FIND PAST POSTS

select month July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004

FEATURED

Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?

Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure

So what products CAN we use?

Infant formula: How to choose it & use it

EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series

EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure

Let's talk some serious shop about TSCA reform

EWG on TV

Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill

Toxic Tub?

Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water

Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen

BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics

Ask EWG

What can I do about fluoride in my water?

What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

Ask EWG Archives

PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS

Breast Cancer Fund

The Daily Green

Eco Child's Play

Environmental Defense Fund

Green Moms Carnival

Grist

Healthy Child, Healthy World

Huffington Post Green

NRDC's Switchboard

Organic.org

Safer States

TreeHugger

TALK TO US

Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.

« Perchlorate: You might not know how to pronounce it, but it's in you | Main | Mixed Greens 002: Mmm, rocket fuel! Plus, ditch the anti-bacterial soap. »

Sky-high lead levels in Galveston, TX

In Galveston, Texas, as many as one in five children have blood lead levels elevated enough to cause learning disabilities.

One in five. Can you even imagine? But to date, not a single thing has been done about it. City officials have known for years that lead poisoning was a problem, but the diagnostic system used by many of the city's doctors differs from the one the CDC requires -- and that means that, in the government's eyes, Galveston is doing just fine. They won't be able to get funding until they can demonstrate that lead is a big problem, using the federal government's own diagnostic system.

In order to make those tests happen, Galveston is considering implementing a mandatory blood lead level test, possibly as a prerequisite to entering daycare. Until they can demonstrate that lead poisoning is a considerable problem, the city's task force can do little to change the status quo.

Galveston's lead problem appears to come largely from its many old houses with peeling lead paint on both the interior and exterior. Some houses had their exterior paint sandblasted off many years ago, which increased lead levels in the soil.

Lead was mostly phased out of paint by the end of the 1970's -- and yet here we are, nearly 30 years later, still dealing with the effects. Makes you wonder what toxic chemical's effects we'll be dealing with three decades from now.

Photo: Crossing Galveston Bay, by OneEighteen

« Perchlorate: You might not know how to pronounce it, but it's in you |