Thousands of U.S. Areas Afflicted with Lead Poisoning beyond Flint's

[rangerrebew]

Thousands of U.S. Areas Afflicted with Lead Poisoning beyond Flint's

The Michigan city doesn't even rank among the most dangerous lead hotspots in America

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Credit: Steve Johnson Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

By M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer

ST. JOSEPH, Missouri (Reuters) - On a sunny November afternoon in this historic city, birthplace of the Pony Express and death spot of Jesse James, Lauranda Mignery watched her son Kadin, 2, dig in their front yard. As he played, she scolded him for putting his fingers in his mouth.

In explanation, she pointed to the peeling paint on her old house. Kadin, she said, has been diagnosed with lead poisoning.

He has lots of company: Within 15 blocks of his house, at least 120 small children have been poisoned since 2010, making the neighborhood among the most toxic in Missouri, Reuters found as part of an analysis of childhood lead testing results across the country. In St. Joseph, even a local pediatrician's children were poisoned.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/thousands-of-u-s-areas-afflicted-with-lead-poisoning-beyond-flints/

[Elderberry]

I think its based on this Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-lead-testing/

[Elderberry]

Interactive map:

http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-lead-testing/#interactive-lead

[Elderberry]

My zip shows:  3383 Children tested. Elevated. 3.46%

[Cripplecreek]

Well duh.

Most urban areas in the country have lead pipe still in use. Its usually not a major because a lead oxide coating builds up inside the pipes and inhibits lead from leaching into the water. In Flint they switched sources of water and didn't know what they were doing when they treated it, skimped on the cost and didn't add the corrosion inhibitor causing the lead oxide to break down.

[rangerrebew]

The commiecrats would also love to see the Republican governor thrown into the lawsuits.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

the pipes in ancient rome were all made out of lead. I wouldn't go drinking out of it now certainly, but it makes you wonder how they got by.

[Cripplecreek]

the pipes in ancient rome were all made out of lead. I wouldn't go drinking out of it now certainly, but it makes you wonder how they got by.

True but we aren't talking about miles and miles of pipe. Plus there's the fact that the water was free flowing unlike a modern system (You didn't have water just sitting in a pipe). There is also the lead oxide issue. Despite that I have read that ancient Romans did have a high incidence of lead poisoning.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

True but we aren't talking about miles and miles of pipe. Plus there's the fact that the water was free flowing unlike a modern system (You didn't have water just sitting in a pipe). There is also the lead oxide issue. Despite that I have read that ancient Romans did have a high incidence of lead poisoning.

Or maybe the whole lead thing is overblown? 

[Cripplecreek]

Or maybe the whole lead thing is overblown? 

They're trying to make a local issue into a national one they will blame on a bonus republican.

Lead pipes are common in urban areas all across the country but in Flint they created the problem because they didn't know what they were doing when they treated the water after switching from the Detroit water system.

One of my favorite panic tactics they use is showing bottles of orange tap water. It looks nasty but it has nothing to do with lead in the water.

[geronl]

In Flint they switched sources of water and didn't know what they were doing when they treated it, skimped on the cost and didn't add the corrosion inhibitor causing the lead oxide to break down.

But why blame the city officials who made those decisions when you can blame a... Republican

[Smokin Joe]

They're trying to make a local issue into a national one they will blame on a bonus republican.

Lead pipes are common in urban areas all across the country but in Flint they created the problem because they didn't know what they were doing when they treated the water after switching from the Detroit water system.

One of my favorite panic tactics they use is showing bottles of orange tap water. It looks nasty but it has nothing to do with lead in the water.

I think this and other forthcoming articles will pinpoint all the reasons why the EPA is so essential to tour continued existence. (Yes, that was sarcasm).

The lead paint/pipe problem has been known for decades. Any house with paint or linoleum from before 1970 has a high probability of having either lead or asbestos or both.

Now let's tear down America, as soon as we can figure out where to dispose of it.

Better yet, the problems are known, deal with them on an individual basis, and tear down the EPA.

[Cripplecreek]

I think this and other forthcoming articles will pinpoint all the reasons why the EPA is so essential to tour continued existence. (Yes, that was sarcasm).

The lead paint/pipe problem has been known for decades. Any house with paint or linoleum from before 1970 has a high probability of having either lead or asbestos or both.

Now let's tear down America, as soon as we can figure out where to dispose of it.

Better yet, the problems are known, deal with them on an individual basis, and tear down the EPA.

Most cities have been dealing with the lead pipe issue for years. Whenever they have a reason to dig the pipes up they replace them. In Detroit they blow up what looks like a vinyl balloon inside the pipe that acts as a liner.

[Smokin Joe]

Most cities have been dealing with the lead pipe issue for years. Whenever they have a reason to dig the pipes up they replace them. In Detroit they blow up what looks like a vinyl balloon inside the pipe that acts as a liner.

For the most part, these problems are known, and can be remediated or removed. Municipal water testing is ongoing, to check that standards are being met.
That kids are still chowing down on paint chips is so, well, 1970-ish, it isn't funny. The problem should be well documented and the knowledge disseminated by now.
Besides, regardless of what is in it, who wants their kids eating paint?

But what I do notice, as sort of a SIGINT thing, is an apparent uptick in the 'how deadly our environment (still) is, and why we NEED the EPA to tell us in minute detail how to live.

Really?

This isn't so much news as the pregame hype for budget cut season, to rile up the usual suspects; A call to arms, if you will for the enviros to fight for the agency they sue to get funding. Spend half on 'Don't eat Paint' and lead paint awareness ads that gets spent proclaiming the 'evils' of tobacco or advertising addiction counseling, and it's likely the problem would be purt'near taken care of.