The only way to prevent lead poisoning is to remove the source of exposure. Sources of Lead Poisoning As a result of the extensive use of lead over several centuries in the US, lead can be found in paint, dust, soil, water, air, and food. Also, children can be seriously poisoned by eating lead-based paint chips, but this is relatively rare. Soil in the vicinity of the home can be contaminated from flaking exterior lead-based paint or previous deposits of leaded gasoline. Exterior sandblasting can produce exceptionally high levels of lead in soil.
Children then play in that dirt and directly ingest it, or it is tracked into the house on shoes.
Some soil has been contaminated by lead from prior gasoline use. Drinking water can also contain lead from pipes or solder and contribute to childhood lead poisoning especially when contaminated tap water is used to make baby formula. Parents who work in lead-related industries can also bring lead home on their clothes, exposing children to the hazard. Point sources include workplace exposures to lead, which are often extreme with workers receiving doses well above those experienced by the general population. The most heavily lead-exposed adults are almost exclusively found to be those who work with lead, particularly in the absence of adequate ventilation and other controls.