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Lead in our products

10:55 AM Fri, Oct 12, 2007 |

During the course of my many stories concerning lead in products I have come to a inescapable conclusion: The stuff is everywhere.
This country made great sacrifices to remove lead from gasoline and paint, and ultimately both products are now safer and just as effective as ever. Yet, lead is still commonly used to make jewelry, fishing and hunting products, pottery and all kinds of other products.

Slipshot sinkers are found in just about every kid's tacklebox and they are commonly attatched to the fishing line by biting them.
Lead shot in shotgun shells is banned for waterfowl hunting but not for hunting other birds.
There are no standards for lead content in jewelry, even kids' jewelry.
But with all of those lead-laden products and dozens of others out there, the number of lead poisoning cases is very low.
It could be that most poisoning cases go undiagnosed and untreated, or maybe the effects of lead exposure aren't seen for years later as young minds develop, and by then the exposure is forgotten or never noted in the first place.
Leading health officials say no lead exposure is safe; the federal government has standards for acceptable lead in young bodies.
Resources for concerned parents to test products are very limited and can be very expensive.
These are all issues people in my industry are wrestling with as we produce our stories.
Perhaps one day the lead problem will more clearly defined. In the meantime rest assured, we will continue to find and report lead products.

Read Gary's piece on lead in Halloween costumes here.




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