In the 1970s and 1980s, steps were taken to reduce the use of leaded gas. By 1990, these actions had virtually eliminated the use of lead in gasoline. Lead is also one of the best and earliest examples of recycling about 55 percent of the lead used in Canada comes from recycled material. One particular category of toxic tort is injury caused by exposure to lead-based paint. The hazards of lead-based paint have been known since the early 1900s, when the use of lead in the manufacture of paint was banned in Australia.
Lead poisoning occurs only when too much lead accumulates in the body.
Generally, lead poisoning occurs slowly, resulting from the gradual accumulation of lead in the bone and tissue after repeated exposures. The greatest risk of injury from lead poisoning is to children under the age of seven, whose developing bodies and brains are sensitive to even small amounts of lead, which can leave children with subtle but irreversible injury that does not appear until many years after the exposure to lead. To confirm lead poisoning, the best test is a venous blood lead level. In this case, the child should be referred for appropriate chelation therapy immediately. One particular category of toxic tort is injury caused by exposure to lead-based paint.