lead poisoning

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha spearheaded efforts to publicize and address the water crisis in Flint, Mich.

Pediatrician Who Exposed Flint Water Crisis Shares Her 'Story Of Resistance'

12:35pm June 26, 2018

by Terry Gross

After warning of elevated lead levels in her patients in Flint, Mich., Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha faced a backlash: "The state said that I was an unfortunate researcher, that I was causing near-hysteria."

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LeeAnne Walters, a recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize, was key in exposing the crisis of lead-laced water in Flint, Mich.

Flint Activist Wins Major Environmental Prize

2:04pm April 23, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

LeeAnne Walters demanded action from local officials, confronting them with bottles of discolored water. They dismissed her for months. She meticulously documented lead levels in Flint homes.

Scientists say low chlorine levels in Flint's water system during the city's water crisis in 2014 and 2015 led the bacterium Legionella pneumophila to proliferate, causing a deadly outbreak of Legionnaire's disease.

Lethal Pneumonia Outbreak Caused By Low Chlorine In Flint Water

11:26pm February 05, 2018

by Rebecca Hersher

Two new studies confirm that an outbreak of deadly Legionnaires' disease in Flint, Mich., was caused by the city's water crisis in 2014 and 2015.

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How does lead wind up in crockpots and other ceramic food and drink containers? Ceramic ware is glazed before entering a kiln to bake. These glazes sometimes contain lead to give products an attractive shine.

Can Your Ceramic Cookware Give You Lead Poisoning?

8:00am December 08, 2017

by Natalie Jacewicz

Mass-produced crockpots and other ceramic food containers are probably safe, but handmade earthenware might merit a home test.

The FDA says blood lead tests manufactured by Magellan Diagnostics can give falsely-low results if they are used with blood drawn from a vein, as opposed to a finger or heel prick.

Common Lead Test Can Give False Results, FDA Warns

9:18pm May 17, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Common blood tests for lead can give falsely-low results in certain cases, according to a new warning from the Food and Drug Administration.

Firearms using lead ammunition spray lead dust out of the muzzle and ejection port when fired.

Lead Dust From Firearms Can Pose A Silent Health Risk

2:51pm May 10, 2017

by Angus Chen

The Department of Defense has increased protections for military personnel from exposure to lead from firearms. It can be a health problem for people using recreational shooting ranges, too.

State and federal policies now limit the use of lead in gasoline, paint and plumbing, but children can still ingest the metal through contaminated soil. The effects of even fairly small amounts can be long-lasting, the evidence suggests.

Health & Safety

Childhood Exposure To Lead Can Blunt IQ For Decades, Study Suggests

12:36pm March 28, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Researchers following a group of New Zealanders over the course of 40 years found an association between childhood lead exposure and declines in intelligence and socioeconomic status later in life.

Susan Gallagher, chief naturalist at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center, examines the eagle who died from lead poisoning.

Lead Ammunition Poisons Wildlife But Too Expensive To Change, Hunters Say

1:10pm February 20, 2017

by Eleanor Klibanoff

Just before leaving office, the Obama administration banned the use of lead ammunition on federal land. Some hunters want President Trump to reverse the ban.

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Mayor Karen Weaver takes a sip of water at the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee hearing titled, "The Flint Water Crisis: Lessons for Protecting America's Children."

Flint Mayor: 'Everybody Played A Role In This Disaster'

11:45am August 12, 2016

by NPR Staff

As a federal state of emergency ends for Flint, Mich., Mayor Karen Weaver says residents don't trust that government officials have fully addressed the lead contamination of their water.

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Where Lead Lurks And Why Even Small Amounts Matter

7:59am August 12, 2016

by Jessica Pupovac

Federal environmental regulations for lead in drinking water still leave room for concentrations high enough to pose a health hazard, critics say.

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