Lead

What is lead?

Lead is a naturally occurring, bluish-gray metal that has no taste or smell. It is found in small amounts in soil and water. Lead has a variety of uses, including the following:

• roofing;
• x-ray shields;
• ammunition;
• batteries;
• metal products (sheet lead, solder, some brass, bronze products, pipes);
• iron and steel production; and
• ceramic glaze.

Lead was once commonly used in gasoline, paints, and canning, but these uses have been gradually phased out due to health concerns.

Where can lead be found?

In urban areas, lead often comes from older housing, automotive emissions that have settled into soil, and lead paint. Remodeling of older homes often disturbs lead-based paints and produces lead dust.

Since the late 1970s, the U.S. has slowly reduced air emissions of lead. The largest decreases were made in industrial process releases and, since leaded gas was outlawed, auto emissions.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 900 tons of lead and lead compounds were released into the air from large industrial facilities in 1996. (Data from TRI covers only certain types of facilities. It is not a complete account of all releases in the U.S.).

A very small amount of lead was released to surface water in 1996 (less than 0.4% of documented releases). In addition to industrial sources, urban industrial runoff and settling of airborne lead particles are significant sources for lead in bodies of water.

Do electric utilities release lead to the environment?

Yes, a very small amount. EPA estimates that 64 tons of lead were emitted to the air by utilities nationwide in 1997. The emissions level and inhalation risk of lead from electric utilities is so low that EPA does not plan to conduct any further evaluations in this area.

How could I be exposed to lead?

People are exposed to lead in a number of ways — in homes, urban living, proximity to lead paint, smoking, and wine consumption are a few examples. Lead concentrations in the soil are between one part of lead per million parts of soil (ppm) and 300 ppm. Most human intake of lead can be attributed to consumption of food and drinking water that contains lead as well as inhalation of airborne lead particles.

Very small quantities of lead are found in lakes, rivers, and groundwater that supply drinking water. In fact, more than 99% of all publicly supplied water contains less than three parts lead for every billion parts of water (ppb), which is considered extremely good.

Children are particularly susceptible to lead, because they absorb lead more readily than adults and do not eliminate lead from their blood as quickly as adults.

Increased exposure to lead can cause "colic" (abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, vomiting, weight loss) and hypertension. Lead poisoning can cause reduced mental capacity and development for children.

The releases by utilities are too small to cause these kinds of health effects.

What do the experts say?

The Center for Disease Control recommends that all children under age six be tested annually for lead exposure.

EPA regulates the amount of lead released to the air and water, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission sets lead standards for consumer products (like water coolers and paints) and school facilities.

Where can I get more information?

• Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, 6 Davis Drive, P.O. Box 12137, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2137, phone (919)558-1310.
  
  
• Electric Power Research Institute, 3412 Hillview Ave., P.O. Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303; phone (650)855-2000.
  
  
• National Air Pollutant Emission Trends, 1900-1997, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, 1998.
  
  
• Study of Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions from Electric Utility Steam Generating Units — Final Report to Congress,Volume 1 and 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, 1998.
  
  
• Toxicological Profile for Lead, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, 1997.