A shocking number of U.S. households have soil that goes beyond the lead screening levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a new study has found.
The EPA recently reassessed the lead levels, halving them from 400 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm. For households that had a higher exposure, guidance was even lower, at 100 ppm.
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Around 40 percent of households are beyond the safe level, the new study published in GeoHealth reported.
"I was shocked at how many households were above the new 200 ppm guideline," Gabriel Filippelli, a biochemist at Indiana University who led the new study, said in a statement. "I assumed it was going to be a more modest number. And results for the 100 ppm guideline are even worse."
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that poses significant health risks, particularly to vulnerable people like children and pregnant women.
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When ingested or inhaled, lead can build up in the body and disrupt various biological processes. For example, it can interfere with the development of the nervous system, leading to cognitive impairments, behavioral issues, and reduced IQ in children. In adults, prolonged exposure to lead can result in cardiovascular problems, kidney damage, and reproductive issues. Lead's ability to mimic calcium allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier, causing neurotoxic effects. Common sources of lead exposure include old paint, contaminated soil, drinking water from lead pipes, and certain industrial processes. Due to its widespread presence and severe health impacts, reducing lead exposure remains a critical public health goal.
To reach their findings, scientists collected soil samples from gardens, yards, alleys and other residential areas. They discovered that 25 percent exceeded the new 200 ppm level set by the EPA, according to the study.
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This makes up about 29 million households across the nation.
One main issue with these lead levels is that retraction is very costly. To remove it from all 29 million households could cost over $1 trillion, the study found.
This is using the most common "dig and dump" method of retraction. A cheaper option is known as "capping," which involves burying the contaminated soil.
"Urban gardeners have been doing this forever anyway, with raised beds, because they're intuitively concerned about the history of land use at their house," Filippelli said. "A huge advantage of capping is speed. It immediately reduces exposure. You're not waiting two years on a list to have your yard remediated while your child is getting poisoned. It's done in a weekend."
While there is still research to be done on capping and how long it lasts, it is a promising way forward.
Although the findings are concerning, Filippelli said he is still optimistic.
"Lead is the most easily solvable problem that we have. We know where it is, and we know how to avoid it. It's just a matter of taking action."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
