How to reduce your exposure to lead in soil

How to Reduce Your Exposure to
LEAD IN SOIL

You can protect yourself and your family from coming into contact with lead in soil.

How can you be exposed to lead?

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in soil at levels that vary depending on the region. Natural processes such as weathering, or human processes such as mining, agriculture or manufacturing, may result in exposure to levels of lead that are unsafe for human health. Exposure to lead can be particularly harmful to young children.
If you live in an area where the soil contains lead, the dust in your house may also contain lead. Lead in soil can be tracked into your house on shoes, clothes, pets and in other ways. Children are likely to swallow dust and dirt that may contain lead while they are outside or in the home.

Routes of exposure to lead in soil:
Swallowing contaminated soil and dust (especially for children, who put objects and hands in their mouths).
Eating unwashed foods grown in contaminated soil.
Breathing soil particles or dust.
Absorbing lead through the skin (low risk).

What are the symptoms of lead exposure?
Most children show no symptoms of lead exposure. Signs of lead exposure can often be mistaken for other illnesses. Symptoms of lead exposure in children, if they occur, may include the following:

Abdominal Pain

Constipation

Nausea

Irritability

What are the health effects of lead exposure? Lead exposure in children can lead to the following:
Damage to the brain and nervous system Behavioral problems Hearing problems Slowed or stunted growth Delayed or slow learning and development
Children younger than 6 years old and pregnant women are at the greatest risk for health effects.
The only way to know if your child has lead poisoning is to have a blood lead test. If you think a child of any age has come in contact with lead, then ask your doctor to test that child's blood for lead.
We protect lives.

What are ways to reduce your exposure to lead?
Practice safe gardening.
Build raised beds or use container gardens. Wash and peel all vegetables and root crops that are in direct contact with soil. Clean tools, gloves and shoes before bringing them indoors. Remove and place heavily soiled clothing in a bag before bringing them indoors and
wash them promptly. Wash hands after gardening (even if gloves are used). Watch small children to prevent them from ingesting soil via hand-to-mouth contact.
Reduce dust in your home.
Wash children's hands and feet after they have been playing outside. Vacuum carpets and rugs before mopping non-carpeted areas. If possible, use a
vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Use a wet mop on hard floors and clean window sills with wet rags regularly. Be aware of other possible lead sources, like lead paint in older homes. Bathe pets that go outside regularly.
Don't let children play in dirt contaminated with lead.
Have children play on grass or in areas covered with lead-free mulch, wood chips or sand.
Keep children from playing in bare dirt. Cover bare dirt with grass, bushes or 4 to 6 inches of lead-free wood chips, mulch, soil
or sand.
Eat healthy foods.
Feed your child healthy foods with calcium, iron, and vitamin C. These foods may help keep lead out of the body.
Feed your child three healthy meals a day and at least two healthy snacks. Children with empty stomachs get more lead into their bodies than children with full stomachs.

Calcium is in milk, yogurt, cheese, and green leafy vegetables like spinach.

Iron is in lean red meats, beans, peanut butter, and cereals.

Vitamin C is in oranges, green and red peppers, and juice.

For More Information Georgia Department of Public Health Environmental Health Section Chemical Hazards Program (404) 657-6534 www.dph.georgia.gov/chemical-hazards
Rev. 11/2020

We protect lives.