Where Are We Finding Lead?
Introduction: Lead in Our Environment
Where is Lead Hiding in Our Communities?
Lead is present in dust, dirt, and many older buildings. Due to the geography of the Anchorage bowl, decades of pollution has remained rather local - and close to home.
Key Points:
Leaded fuel from small aircraft is a significant, overlooked source of lead pollution. [1]
Many communities near small airports face ongoing lead exposure. [2]
Historical lead contamination has not been addressed and is still present in our soil today. [3]
We’ll look below - at local areas, national patterns, and specific locations where lead is a problem.
Airports.
The Hidden Dangers Near Small Airports
Aviation gasoline is poisonous, the EPA finds. [1]
Check out our page on: “Why Avgas is so bad”
Key Points:
Lead in Aviation Fuel: Despite its ban in cars, leaded fuel is still burned by small aircraft, releasing lead particles into the air. [5]
Geographic Proximity: Areas near airports are at significant risk for lead exposure. [4]
Health Risks: Even low levels of exposure to lead can cause serious, health complications. See - Health Effects
Buildings painted before the phaseout of lead paint.
The lurking of leaded paint.
Leaded paint is poisonous - You already know this, right?
Rather than go into extreme detail here, we will provide links to other sites- for their deep dive
https://www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-sources-lead
Tamara Rubin is a lead-poisoning prevention advocate and the founder of Lead Safe Mama, LLC. She became passionate about this cause after her own sons were poisoned by lead in 2005. Rubin works to educate parents about the dangers of lead exposure and the importance of creating safe environments. She has helped over 10,000 families and continues to advocate through her blog, social media, and consulting services. Rubin’s efforts have led to multiple recalls of toxic products and earned her numerous awards. She also actively collaborates with communities and health organizations globally to spread awareness.
Tamara Rubin’s Website - “Start Here” page
She has created a documentary: “MISLEAD: America's Secret Epidemic” which puts a great deal of effort to raise awareness of the lead exposure and symptoms. We strongly recommend you check it out!
Trailer - https://misleadmovie.com/
Documentary link - https://tamararubin.com/2023/01/a-link-to-my-film/
IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2488550/
Historical soil contamination.
Lead does not break down naturally. It is a stable element and as such, the lead that was released into the environment years ago will remain in our soil until something is done with it. [3]
This article from the CDC goes over information related to soil contamination noting:
“Lead-contaminated soil continues to be a hazardous source of lead exposure for young children in the United States.
Deposits from leaded gasoline, exterior lead-based paint, and industrial sources have contributed to increased levels of lead in the soil. This is especially common in urban areas and homes built before 1978.” - CDC August 30, 2024
Roadways.
Vehicle traffic has long been known as a major source of pollution.
For decades, effort has been made to reduce vehicle emissions. The removal of asbestos from brake pads, and lead from automotive gasoline was a monumental success for health worldwide, but there is more to it than that. Ever asked the question, “what are tires made of?”
Studies show tires have been linked to an impressive amount of general pollution, including lead and other heavy metals. [7,8]
When wheels are balanced, the weights used are lead. In fact California has ruled against the use of leaded wheel weights, citing the fact that they are an environmental toxin. [9] When will we do the same?
1 https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/regulations-lead-emissions-aircraft
2 https://qz.com/2158594/do-you-live-near-enough-to-a-small-airport-to-have-lead-exposure
3 https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/prevention/soil.html
4 https://www.forbes.com/sites/anuradhavaranasi/2023/01/12/living-close-to-an-airport-puts-children-at-a-higher-risk-of-lead-exposure/
5 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1309104220301331
6 https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/prevention/paint.html
7 https://e360.yale.edu/features/tire-pollution-toxic-chemicals
8 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724012920
9 https://dtsc.ca.gov/dtsc-website-archive/about-lead-wheel-weights/