In a new study published this year titled The Hidden Toll of Airborne Lead: Infant Mortality Impacts of Industrial Lead Pollution, it is eye opening on how prevalent and substantial the effects of lead are on air pollution, despite the minimization in the United States, especially on infants.
Lead was officially banned in gasoline for on-road vehicles in the U.S. starting January 1, 1996, under the Clean Air Act. However, the phase-out process began in the 1970s, with regulations gradually reducing the allowable lead content in gasoline. By the mid-1980s, leaded gasoline was already largely phased out for most cars.
Leaded gasoline is still allowed for aviation fuel (avgas) and some off-road uses however, but its use in cars and trucks has been banned for nearly three decades.
In this study, researchers looked at data on lead pollution from the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), a system created in 1986 after major chemical accidents in Bhopal (1984) and West Virginia (1985). The TRI tracks pollution from 650 different chemicals.
To understand how lead exposure affects infant deaths, researchers studied changes in airborne lead pollution near factories, combined with wind speed, to estimate how much lead ended up in the surrounding air.
They also used air quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wind patterns from the National Centers for Environmental Information, and birth records from the National Vital Statistics System. The study focused on 127 U.S. counties with factories that release lead, specifically those within two miles of an EPA air monitor and 10 miles of a wind monitor.
What they discovered was that higher concentrations of lead in the air elevated infant mortality rates in infants’ first month and year, correlating both in utero and environmental exposures. Furthermore, lead toxicity increased death count from low birthweight, sudden unexplained death and respiratory and nervous system causes.
This is extremely saddening and scary, especially for families and soon to be parents. Therefore, how can we protect ourselves from lead toxicity, as well as our future generations?
Firstly, let’s understand where lead comes from:
In the U.S., lead pollution comes from several sources, even though many uses of lead have been banned or restricted. Some of the main sources include:
1. Industrial Pollution
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Metal smelting & refining – Factories that process lead, such as battery recycling plants and metal foundries, release lead into the air.
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Manufacturing – Lead is used in making batteries, ammunition, pipes, and other products.
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Waste incineration – Burning waste can release lead if lead-containing materials are present.
2. Old Lead-Based Paint
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Lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978, but many older homes and buildings still have it.
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Lead dust is created when old paint chips, peels, or is disturbed during renovations.
3. Contaminated Soil
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Lead from old gasoline emissions (before leaded gas was banned in 1996) can still be found in soil, especially near roads.
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Soil near industrial sites or old buildings with lead paint may also be contaminated.
4. Drinking Water
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Old lead pipes, faucets, and plumbing can leach lead into drinking water, especially in older homes and cities.
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The Flint water crisis (2014) highlighted the dangers of lead-contaminated drinking water.
5. Consumer Products
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Some imported toys, jewelry, cosmetics, and pottery may still contain lead.
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Certain traditional remedies and spices from other countries have been found to contain lead.
6. Ammunition & Fishing Gear
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Lead bullets and fishing weights contribute to lead exposure in wildlife and hunters who use them.
7. Aviation Fuel
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Small airplanes still use leaded gasoline (avgas), which releases lead into the air.
Lead is also antagonistic to vital nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. Prioritizing these nutrients and making sure one is not deficient in these elements can help protect an individual from lead accumulating in them.
How do you check you’re not deficient in these essential minerals to protect yourself against lead toxicity? Run a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) with us, by clicking the link here and you can verify your nutrient status!
Conversely, we also have all 3 elements sold individually if you need more of them:
Upgraded Calcium
Upgraded Magnesium
Upgraded Zinc