Policy Lead Poisoning Lead poisoning is the foremost environmental health risk to American children, especially poor children, children of color, and those living in older, poorly-maintained housing.
Lead poisoning is also a concrete health status marker of the affordable housing crisis.
A Threat to Public Health Lead is a naturally occurring element that is highly toxic to almost all human organs and systems when ingested or inhaled. Lead affects both children and adults, although children under age six and fetuses are most sensitive. In children, low-level lead poisoning affects the developing brain and nervous system, causing reductions in IQ and attention span, reading and other learning disabilities, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, hearing loss, and coordination problems. While lead poisoning crosses all barriers of race, income, and geography, most of the burden of this disease falls on the poor who live in older, poorer quality housing. Lead poisoning poses a challenge to the health system as well as to housing.