Stealthy danger

EDITORIAL
(Published Dec. 21, 2008 in The Times)

A grim picture emerges from The Times' "The Hidden Danger: The Lowdown on Lethal Lead" series detailing an eight-month investigation into the lingering effects of a problem largely thought to have been eradicated years ago.

As documented by reporters Andrew Kitchenman and Lisa Rich, Trenton and its residents are at risk from the residue of leaded paint still evident in the city's housing stock, much of which predates World War II.

The staggering synopsis is that up to 50 percent of the city's residences could have elevated levels of lead.

But it's not only in Trenton that lead poses a danger: Children from throughout Mercer County have been found to have worrisome levels of the metal once used so extensively in paint, manufacturing, water pipes and fixtures.

A silent monster, as some experts have called it, lead poisoning is stealthy and surreptitious. It preys particularly on the very young and is often misdiagnosed. Once a toxic level of lead is ingested, it can result in permanent learning and behavioral problems, seizures, coma and death. There is no cure.

Since lead paint was banned — by New Jersey in 1971 and by federal law in 1978 — there have been great strides toward removal of dangerous levels of lead. Much remains to be done, however, when lead is as near as a window sill, a drink of water from contaminated pipes or even the city's soil, a vestige of its industrial past.

While state Department of Health and Senior Services officials said three-quarters of children are tested at least once by the age of 2, children should be tested more frequently, including when they enter school. There's a bill that would mandate lead screenings of children before starting school, but it's been stalled in the Legislature for more than a year.

Currently, the state requires a visual inspection for flaking paint chips and dust in every rental unit every five years. The frequency of those inspections should be increased to a yearly basis and become a prerequisite to a certificate of occupancy. What's more, there is a need for a comprehensive approach to reduce the lead risk throughout the state.

Local governments must step up their efforts to convince homeowners of the need for, and help with the cost of, abatement, or stripping their homes of lead paint. It's an admittedly complicated and costly procedure, because so many people are unaware of the potentially lethal substance lurking in their homes. Without the motivation of an obvious threat, especially in these economically tough times, it's a chore that's easy to defer.

We're clearly aware of the threat posed by errant lead residue.

What remains to be done is to reiterate the urgency of that potential danger and stress the need for testing in the city and beyond. And when lead is found, there must be a streamlined application process available for abatement that is accessible for even those with a very low income.

As one expert told series writers Kitchenman and Rich, children should not be the de facto lead detectors in the way miners used canaries to determine if there was air enough to breathe.