Position Paper of the American Council on Science and Health: Lead and Human Health Review Article

The potential human health risk of lead in the environment remains a topic of current debate and concern. Given sufficient exposure, lead can exert severe and chronic health effects. Today, due to successful efforts to reduce the commercial use of lead and control its release to the environment, lead “poisoning” is uncommon in our society. Blood-lead levels among the U.S. population, including those of children, have decreased dramatically over the past decade and according to current surveillance programs continue to decline. Because lead poisoning among children is no longer as prevalent as it once was, the focus has shifted to the long-term effects lead may exert on the intellectual development of children. Continued toxicological and epidemiological research will expand the understanding of this important facet of the lead issue. Trace levels of lead in consumer products remain a low health risk to humans, despite the fear and uncertainty which often accompany such concerns. Future efforts to reduce lead exposure should be aimed at high-risk groups which include the socioeconomically disadvantaged and certain minority sectors of the population. Through educational programs, improvement in personal hygiene practices, and abatement of lead-containing paint (when warranted), blood lead levels should continue to decline, reducing the health risk to lead in the environment.