Lead
Lead is a soft, heavy metallic element with many industrial uses, including paint. Lead can damage the nervous system and kidneys and even be fatal. It also may affect brain development in children. The two main sources of contamination are paint chips and dust — which toddlers may eat because they taste sweet — and drinking water.
LEAD IN PAINT
The Department of Education stopped using lead paint in 1980, but it can
still be found in about 8 out of 10 schools, as well as in countless apartments
and houses in New York City. Lead paint poses a problem only when it is disturbed
or deteriorating. Therefore the danger in schools is small. Some of the worst
problems were fixed during the 1993 asbestos cleanup, and school officials
are supposed to keep a close watch on what's left to see if it becomes damaged.
LEAD IN WATER
Some lead exists naturally in drinking water supplies; it also leaches in from lead pipes or solder in the street, building or water cooler. The UFT insists that bottled water be used in schools that experience elevated lead levels in the water until the problem is solved. New York City is adding a harmless, tasteless chemical to the water supply to coat the inside of pipes, thereby preventing lead from leaching into flowing water.
In 1992 the UFT insisted that the chancellor establish a lead task force to see that any hazards are corrected. The board acted in unison with the UFT to implement the recommendations made by the task force.
You can help by reporting any peeling paint or plaster to your chapter leader. Never scrape, sand or attempt to remove it yourself, as this may generate lead dust, creating a problem where none had previously existed. Remember that if lead paint is intact it does not present a problem.
During 2002, the Department of Education, with EPA oversight, tested lead
levels in water in all city schols. A water flushing program for custodians
was established as an added precaution.
Advise parents that to protect their children they need to:
- Get their landlord to remove peeling paint in their homes. A city law requires this.
- Feed their children foods rich in iron and calcium — like eggs, lean red meat, beans, and dairy products — which lessen the absorption of lead.
- Not store food and liquids in lead crystal, imported or old pottery.
- Make sure their children don't chew anything covered with dust.
- Have their children wash their hands frequently.