The horrendous cost of mandated paint removal would result in an unprecedented American housing disaster, yet many experts do not even believe that paint is the most likely cause of elevated blood lead levels. The major decline in lead exposure was found throughout the entire population, among all ages, sexes, races, areas of residence and income levels. It became obvious that exposure to lead-based paint in homes had little to do with the improvements that were noted. Since gasoline lead had entered food through multiple pathways, it is difficult to make a quantitative estimate of the reduction in food lead that resulted from decreasing lead in gasoline. Trial Lawyers like lead because almost any kind of retardation or inappropriate behavior can now be attributed to an elevated blood level, and no one can prove otherwise without spending much more than a typical settlement with the lawyer and his client.
Lead continues to come from many other sources in our environment other than lead-based paint.
Os-Cal and Dolomite, two calcium supplements taken by pregnant women, test high in lead content. Even Polyvinyl Chloride, a very popular plastic used in countless household products from phonograph records to children's toys may contain lead. To make yellow PVC, the manufacturer uses lead. Consider the physiology of lead absorption. The bulk of lead absorption is through the GI route in the pediatric population.