The safety of children is a high priority nationwide as state’s struggle to mitigate the dangers of lead poisoning. Though Lead Renovator Certification aims to reduce exposure to toxic lead particulates through proper contractor training, the pathways for lead hazards are numerous. Now, several cities and states are moving forward with costly, but necessary, measures to address this public safety concern.
New Jersey should spend $1.1 billion over the next 10 years to fix lead hazards that have poisoned thousands of children in the state, stunting their growth and limiting their potential, according to a coalition of health and housing advocates.
The groups released a report at the Statehouse on Wednesday that outlined a strategy for confronting the lead problem and they say that lawmakers are finally listening.
With consistent coverage of lead safety concerns, particularly since the Flint water crisis, there is now more than ever an communal understanding that we must make some changes. This can even be seen with New Jersey public officials.
“There’s more will than there’s ever been,” said Staci Berger, president and CEO of the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey. “It’s the first time in my experience, and I’ve been doing this for two decades, that the governor has addressed lead poisoning in his or her Inaugural Address”
High ranking government officials recognizing this problem in such a capacity is a vital step in the right direction. There is no safe level of lead exposure and the effects of lead poisoning are permanent, a factor that is especially worrisome when considering that children are the most susceptible to its dangers.
Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in a child’s body, inhibiting the development of both physical and mental abilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effects of lead are irreversible.
No safe level of lead in a child’s blood has been identified, but county health departments generally take action when testing shows 5 or more micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. About 4,800 children in New Jersey surpass that threshold, according to the latest figures.
Read the full article and the 2018 New Jersey Lead Poisoning Prevention Action Plan here.
