2022 Lead Poisoning Prevention with Elizabeth O’Brien

by | ageing, healthy home, healthy home threats, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, lead, paint, traffic related air pollution

This year, our activity for International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action (ILPPWA) is to host a live Q&A session with lead expert Elizabeth O'Brien.

We'll be streaming live onto Facebook on Wednesday 26th October 2022, and you can come and join us to ask anything you want to about lead.

  • Perhaps you're concerned about potential exposure?
  • Or you're planning a build or renovation?
  • Maybe you've got chooks and/or a vegetable garden?
  • Have you got youngsters or pets that eat or dig in the soil?
  • Do you have flaking paint?
  • Is there a busy road nearby?
  • Are you near a smelter?
  • Is there lead in tattoo ink?
  • How much lead is in my lipstick?
  • How does lead affect health?
  • Can lead get out of our bones?
  • What change to legislation have occurred to ban lead in Australia and throughout the world?
  • Is there still lead in paint?
  • Why is “leadlighting” called this?
  • Where is lead in my home?
  • I'm in a new home, is there any lead in it?

Lead Poisoning: "lead-berg"

These are the tip of the “lead-berg” in terms of questions, as I wanted to get you thinking…

You can literally ask anything you like OR you can listen in and find out a ton about lead.

Come along for our live Q&A to address your 2022 lead poisoning questions.

This year is the 10th Anniversary of ILPPW, so be sure to come along!

Want your place assessed for lead? Reach out here.

#BanLeadPaint #LeadPoisoning #ILPPW2022

Lead Poisoning: Prevention is Better than Cure

by | ageing, environmental stressors, health, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, lead, learning disorders

Lead Levels and Lead Poisoning Prevention come to mind every October…

Because #ILPPWA: International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action happens every year in the final week of October.

And 2021 marks the ninth week – thanks to the work of Elizabeth O'Brien, from The LEAD Group.

 

This year we have a lot to celebrate!

And what better way than to team up with the go-to person for all things lead, Elizabeth O'Brien herself.

Elizabeth has campaigned tirelessly for 30 years.

 

She is the co-founder of The LEAD Group, which was formed by a trio of parents of lead poisoned children.

This not-for-profit organisation has dedicated itself to preventing lead poisoning and spreading awareness about the risks.

As well, they have created almost 100 fact sheets and an array of solutions sheets which are freely available to help consumers arm themselves.

Which is unfortunately due to the shortfall of policy and guidance from federal government.

lead levels petrol
lead levels paint

Today, we discuss some incredible progress that has been made –

Real wins for health (and the environment).

As well, we discuss WHY  you should care about lead…

Because it isn't only about lowered IQ…

And, of course, some action that you can take.

Important Points to Consider

  • Despite lead now being phased out of petrol, lead dust can still be found around busy roads, in soil and in ceiling dust
  • As discussed, from 1st October 2021 no Australian manufacturer is allowed to add lead to paint (apart from the two exceptions of anti-fouling paints and anti-corrosion primers), paint containing low levels of lead may still be used as tradies and suppliers use up existing stock
  • The best place to start is always with a Blood Lead Level test (for every member of the household) – if the result is not below 1ug/dL, then lead-remediation action needs to be taken
lead levels the toxic effects

Links

The Lead Education and Abatement Design (LEAD) Group Inc.

Lead Safe World

The Volcano Art Prize

ADRA (Australian Dust Removalists Association)

Green Painters Association

I have written a comprehensive Action Pack
called “Getting Ahead of Lead.”

This is available to members of Detox Your Environment Group – a super-affordable membership program where you can access expert advice live!

Join Us Here

Other posts on #Lead

 

Images:
  • Petrol – Arnaldo Motta on Unsplash
  • Paint – Taelynn Christopher on Unsplash
  • Toxic Effects of Lead – WHO
  • Ban Lead Paint – WHO

House Hunting?

by | building biology, buildings and health, chemical sensitivities, chemically sensitive, ehs, electric fields, electromagnetic radiation, EMF, EMR, family, gases, health, heavy metals, house hunting, indoor air quality, informed choice, lead, mold, mould

Moving (and house hunting) is a highly stressful time…

Add to the mix the need to avoid environmental stressors, keep to a tight budget and manage with low tolerance – house hunting becomes almost impossible.

Sound familiar?

I get it – not only have I been there myself, but I've also guided many clients through this process.

I have also seen things go pear-shaped. Very pear-shaped… Like one of my earliest pre-purchase inspections. 

You would not believe what happened…

My client arranged for me to do the inspection… So I arrived on this sunny afternoon, excited to determine if this house was suitable for him.

“Let's go in!” I said.

“Uh-uh! Not me. Every time I go in there, I get sick. You go in and assess it.”

I did a double-take.

Why would he want me to assess the place if he can't be in while I inspect it????

I explained the scenario to him – all set to head back to the office. But he wanted to go ahead. So, I did. And my report recommended that he keep looking. My professional advice was disregarded. He bought the place…

And moved out almost as fast as he had moved in.

There is no need to make the same mistakes.

If you have been looking for a new place no doubt money is tight. You may not have enough time to organise a professional indoor environmental health assessment done. Stress levels are through the roof.

You've moved before, and it is essential that you don't have to move again because you can't end up in another place that is unsafe, nay, uninhabitable.

The track running in your mind goes something like this:

What do I do? 

How can I avoid the things that make me sick? 

How can I protect your health and that of my loved ones? 

Am I right?

So here's what you can do:

  • Learn my “Crystal Ball” method;
  • Draw on my training, experience and insight so that you can keep a property on or your list or cross it off with confidence; and
  • Become EMPOWERED to make sound decisions for your health and that of your loved ones.

You don't need to invest tens of thousands of dollars or years of time training and equipment…

You just need someone to show you #PROtips and tricks so that you can shortlist properties for yourself with confidence…

eco-health-solutions natural

Thus, I have curated this course.

I want you to:

  1. Be able to confidently cross places off your list, keeping only the good ones;
  2. Avoid having to gather the energy to look at places, only to be sick for weeks after;
  3. Save time, money and energy.

All of my years of training, experience, up skilling and knowledge have been consolidated into 13 online lessons, complete with worksheets, my black book of online resources and the essential 122-point checklist so you know you've covered all bases.

Just what the doctor ordered, hey?

  • Do you suffer from environmental sensitivities?
  • Desperately trying to find a home that isn’t going to make you sick, or sicker?
  • Feel forced to settle on a less-than-ideal home because funds are tight?
  • Multiple home assessments haven’t helped you find the perfect place, but you can’t afford to keep coughing up cash?

A LIFE-CHANGING ONLINE COURSE THAT’S ONE-OF-A-KIND 

In Looking for a New Place? How to Avoid the Pitfalls, indoor environmental health expert Lucinda Curran reveals how to streamline the house-hunting process, eliminate uninhabitable homes with confidence, and make a promising shortlist of homes for professional assessments.

No more:

  • Time wasted on pointless inspections
  • Money spent on unnecessary assessments
  • Needless exposure to toxins at inspections
  • Settling for uninhabitable properties
  • Heartache on learning that the ‘perfect’ home wasn’t right after all

“THIS COURSE IS A MUST” 

“I am now better able to rule out unsuitable properties from the comfort of my home which saves me time, energy and cuts down on exposures. The checklist of what to look for in and around the property is very comprehensive and makes it so easy to look for the potential dangers that may be lurking. This course is a must have for anyone wanting to know what to look for and avoid when searching for a healthy home.”

– Genevieve, VIC

Check it out here. 👉

Please note: this course does NOT take the place of a professional Indoor Environmental Health Assessment.

BUT it does mean you don't have to have so many! 🙂

Lead Poisoning Prevention

by | air pollution, building biology, building materials, buildings and health, death, diet and lifestyle, health, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, lead

Lead Poisoning Prevention

Lead exposure and poisoning can occur in three different ways – primary, secondary and tertiary.

The primary way, is through direct exposure – eating paint chips, accidentally swallowing a lead sinker, consuming water or food that has been contaminated.

The secondary way includes exposure to dust from leaded petrol, consume plants that are grown in contaminated soil, and similar.

These first two methods of exposure can result in lead being stored in the bones, and potentially also the brain.

The tertiary way occurs when lead is released from its storage sites within the body and re-poisons you.

This can happen when you are pregnant, lactate and go through menopause.

This is because as people age, generally their bones leach lead back into the body.

It is interesting when you look at the list of health issues that can be related to lead poisoning and you see that many of them are generally considered to be “diseases of ageing” – dementia, cataracts, hypertension (high blood pressure) and more.

To share more about this topic, I had the privilege to discuss this topic with Lead Advocate, Elizabeth O’Brien.

Elizabeth O’Brien

In 2004, Elizabeth O’Brien was awarded the United Nations of Australia Association World Environment Day Award for Outstanding Service to the Environment.

As well, she has been involved in lead poisoning prevention for almost three decades and is the instigator of the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action.

I had the honour of catching up with this incredible environmental activist… here’s our interview.

  • We discussed how this Week of Action came about, and what the World Health Organisation is working on
  • Why it is important to act in prevention of lead poisoning (which includes safely removing it from the body)
  • The effects of lead on the body
  • Diseases of “ageing”
  • How to test for lead and the optimal limit
  • What sort of testing is reliable
  • The pros and cons of spot testing
  • Unexpected sources of lead – including in our diet (you will be surprised!)
  • Action that you can take
  • Where to get more help

Book a Virtual Indoor Environmental Health Assessnt and I can take you through sampling for BOOK HERE

#lead #leadpoisoningprevention #elizabethobrien #theleadgroup #leadsafeworld #interview #heavymetals

Lead – Creating Awareness

by | building biology, buildings and health, health, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, lead

lead poisoningLead Poisoning Prevention is Better than Cure

When I first began assessing buildings for health hazards, I was dumbfounded to discover leadlighting (aka stained glass in the US) still used lead. Yes, despite the known risks, lead is still used for leadlighting!

My concerns:

  • Anyone creating leadlight glass products would have a higher than usual exposure to lead
  • Many houses have leadlighting throughout, especially the “Golden Age” homes – so these doors and windows are quite accessible to children and pets
  • As well, older leadlighting can begin to break down, so lead levels in house dust can be elevated

Lead tastes sweet (so I am told!) – which is why so many children suck on paint chips.

Recently I created three images for the Volcano Art Prize – run by LeadSafeWorld.

“Test Your Soil”

Lead can easily contaminate our soil – from traffic dust, breaking down paints, and even through the water (lead-based solders, or water collected from a roof that has lead flashing).

Message: if you are planning a veggie garden or a chook run, it is recommended that you have the soil tested first.

“Distressed”

A very fashionable paint look at the moment is the “distressed look.” More often than not, this is deliberately done. However, peeling paint on older buildings very likely contains lead – and then sanding is definitely not recommended.

Message: if you have an older building, either test the paint for lead OR encapsulate it by adding layers of paint and be sure never to sand it.

“Look Up!”

This image was designed to help people remember that lead dust, amongst many other contaminants may be found in the roof/ceiling void.

Message: Before any renovation, even the installation of downlights, have a member of the Australian Dust Removalists Association (ADRA) remove the dust from your ceiling void safely.

Prevention is better than cure!

Please help create awareness. Lead poisoning is not as uncommon as it should be.

If you have any concerns – please feel free to get in touch.

#lead #leadpoisoning #testforlead

The Dangers Of CFL Bulbs

by | building biology, electromagnetic radiation, EMF, environmental sensitivities, heavy metals, indoor environmental health, mercury

CFL Bulbs, LED, Halogens and Incandescents

CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs are considered energy efficient, but are good for the environment?

I don’t think so. CFL bulbs are, from a health and environment point of view, one of the worst options.

Here’s why

1. CFLs contain mercury. Mercury readily impacts the CNS (central nervous system) and may, in some cases, be fatal.

2. The contribute a significant EMF load – high ELF AC magnetic fields, ELF AC high electric fields and a lot of “dirty electricity” (high frequency transient spikes).

3. They flicker – so for those with environmental sensitivities or epilepsy, this MAY be a problem.

How do I know if I have CFLs?

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) come in many shapes and sizes. Here are what many of them look like:

CFL bulbs

What Are The Alternatives?

It is honestly such a shame – the incandescent bulbs that we had to start with really were the best on many levels.

The adage, “Don't fix it if it isn't broken” comes to mind…

One of the best features of the incandescent bulbs is that they were fairly close to natural light. This is ideal.

But, because they weren't deemed to be energy-efficient, we moved onto Halogen Lights and CFLs.

Halogens lights create light through heat – and the biggest issue with them is that they can become a fire hazard. I have also see them becoming a mould risk – but that is anther blog post! Despite all of this, they are fairly close to natural light.

Another issue with these lights is that they can allow ceiling dust to enter the living spaces. Ceiling dust is often contaminated with heavy metals, faeces and other contaminants.

And then LED (light emitting diodes) lights were brought out – and these are incredible little beasties at creating light, however, what they create contains a lot of blue light. This can be damaging to our natural rhythms, for starters.

Best Options

Here is my ranking of the best options.

  1. Natural light
  2. Incandescent lights
  3. LEDs lights
  4. Halogens lights
  5. Compact Fluorescent lights

If you want to discover more about these and other environmental stressors, the join our Detox Your Environment Inner Circle. CLICK HERE.

Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action

by | detoxification, health, heavy metals, indoor air quality, indoor environmental health, lead

Lead Poisoning Prevention is Essential

This last week of October recognises the risk of lead poisoning in our lives – this is international Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action.

Lead was the cause of the downfall of the Roman empire and it has been recognised as the cause of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven health problems, loss of hearing and early death.

Yet lead abounds in our daily lives – primarily from its previous use in petrol, but also in paints, water pipes, leaded crystalware, lead-light/stained glass, sinkers, ammunition, and potentially even in the imported painted toys that your children may have. The LEAD Group (2012) also point out that it can also be found in flashing (an important consideration if you drink rainwater collected from your roof), kohl eye and lip pencils, old metal toothpaste tubes, radiation shielding in hospitals, some PVC products, leadshot, painted pre-1970 furniture, road marking paint, painted china and so on.

Given that most of us spends more than 90% of our time indoors, it is always important to consider potential hazards.

Another important point is that lead is sweet – so children and animals may lick, suck on or even consume paint.

I had a quick chat about Lead Poisoning Prevention with Elizabeth O'Brien from The LEAD Group, which you can watch here.

The Silent Epidemic

Elizabeth O'Brien took part in the 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium. Here is an excerpt from her chapter in the 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium: Text Book.

Even though most of us have never been tested for lead and therefore have not been diagnosed with lead poisoning, we are all exposed to lead in the modern world, and every microgram (millionth of a gram) of lead and even every molecule or atom of lead, does damage in the body.

If you have other risk factors (for example, family history) for any of the huge range of health effects of lead there’s virtually no chance that lead will be identified as one of the contributors or causes (Vella et al, 2014). Also, unless you suffer overt lead poisoning – an extremely high dose acute lead poisoning, the symptoms of typical modern chronic lead exposure may not show up until years, or decades, later.

Thus lead poisoning is known as “the silent epidemic.”

Therefore, the number one action that you can take today, is to organise a test with your doctor to assess your blood lead level. Obviously zero is the goal, but The LEAD Group advocated taking action to reduce exposure if your result is not below 1 microgram/decilitre.

Signs and Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

In Babies and Children

The Mayo Clinic (June 2014) list the following symptoms of lead poisoning

In newborns

  • Learning difficulties
  • Slowed growth

In children

  • Developmental delay
  • Learning difficulties
  • Irritability
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Sluggishness and fatigue
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Hearing loss

In Adults

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2016) list out the following signs and symptoms (for adults and children), but do point out that “some children or adults may not have any symptoms at all.”

Symptoms of acute lead poisoning:

  • Muscle pains
  • Fatigue
  • Abdominal pains
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Coma

Symptoms of chronic lead poisoning:

  • Irritability
  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Learning disabilities
  • Behavioural problems
  • Poor school performance
  • Poor coordination
  • Impaired growth

In Dogs

Dr Becker (1997-2016) lists the following signs of lead poisoning for dogs:

  • loss of appetite
  • colic (pain, inflammation, gas or discomfort in the colon)
  • vomiting
  • diarrhoea
  • constipation
  • anxiety
  • hysterical barking
  • jaw champing
  • salivation
  • blindness
  • problems with coordination and movement
  • muscle spams
  • convulsions
  • abnormal posture from severe muscle spasms
  • pressing the head against a wall

Please consult your vet immediately if you notice the symptoms.

 

”If

#lead #leadpoisoning

References

Becker, Dr K (1997-2016) Signs and Symptoms of Lead Poisoning in Dogs (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/06/16/lead-poisoning-dogs.aspx

LEAD Group (4 June, 2012) Sources of Lead (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://www.lead.org.au/lasn/lasn006.html

Mayo Clinic (10 June, 2014) Lead Poisoning: Symptoms (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/basics/symptoms/con-20035487

O'Brien, E “Save Lives by Testing for Lead” in Curran, L (2016) 2016 Environmental Sensitivities Symposium: TextBook Building Vitality, Melbourne

Department of Health and Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia (2016) Lead Exposure and Poisoning (online) Viewed 25 October 2016. Available at https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/lead-exposure-and-poisoning