Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, impaired hearing, behavioral problems, and at very high levels, seizures, coma and even death. The major sources of lead exposure are deteriorated paint from older housing, and dust and soil that are contaminated with lead from old paint and past emissions of leaded gasoline. Also, in the U.S. each year over 100,000 children accidentally directly ingest pesticides. Pesticide use in agriculture and for home and industrial purposes has increased by 50 percent in the last thirty years.
Some pesticides can cause cancer, central nervous system damage, or respiratory illness.
Sources of these pollutants include tobacco smoking, fireplaces, paints, strippers, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, un-vented gas stoves and heaters, pressed wood products, and other common household products.