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Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

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Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#91
post #83
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For those interested in the EU regulation on this, a couple of starting points are: REACH https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registration,_Evaluation,_Auth... RoHS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Subst... IMHO REACH didn't go far enough, it should be up to the maker of a chemical to prove that it's safe before it's sold and used.

How exactly would someone prove something is safe? Especially on something that could have multi-decade cycle times?

[deleted]

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#92
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One cost-effective program is to ban the sale of lead paint in those countries without regulation (over half of countries globally). This article looks into this and other solutions: https://rethinkpriorities.org/publications/global-lead-expos... . Disclaimer: I co-direct a nonprofit that advocates for lead paint regulation (LEEP: https://leadelimination.org/ ).

Is indoor lead paint is still being sold anywhere in the world? Not banned doesn’t necessarily mean it is actively used.

High Lead Levels Found in Majority of Malaysian Paint Brands - https://ipen.org/news/high-lead-levels-found-majority-malays...

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#93
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

While it's uplifting story and I can easily believe that higher lead exposure for Black kids over white kids led to lower IQ results in tests in that specific case, there are no school districts in US with no gap between white and Black students. So far there has not been identified single parameter that explains White/Black gap and not for the lack of trying.

Yeah, the changes in IQ described in studies on lead exposure are much smaller than gaps between races.

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#94
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

What is the vector for lead exposure from paint? Do we think they are all eating it, or that their parents/landlords are constantly sanding it for some reason and not simply painting over it?

edit: Why am I being downvoted?

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#95
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

While it's uplifting story and I can easily believe that higher lead exposure for Black kids over white kids led to lower IQ results in tests in that specific case, there are no school districts in US with no gap between white and Black students. So far there has not been identified single parameter that explains White/Black gap and not for the lack of trying.

I mean in an interview Steven Pinker himself said there’s some things that we may not want to know, because if the parameter is wholly outside of human control it’d just contribute to racism and serve no useful purpose.

Also even if a study found parameters like that, it would never be published as the scientists career would absolutely be ruined.

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#96
post #3

I knew about lead poisoning for a while, but mostly in US context. It's almost a non-topic in Europe since leaded gasoline was banned (I'm actually wondering why: no leaded paints in EU?) If these numbers are true, why this is not on first pages of all media all the time? Crazy. I wonder how reliable are these numbers.

> I'm actually wondering why: no leaded paints in EU? The dangers of lead paint have been known for over 100 years. France banned it in 1909. The League of Nations adopted a treaty on it in 1922. The US declined to join the treaty due to industry lobbying and didn't get around to banning it until 1978. By declining to ban it the US cost itself $Ts when accounting for the developmental delays, lost IQ points, health p…

Speaking of dangerous paints used many years ago: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/shadows-from-the-walls...

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#97
post #94
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

What is the vector for lead exposure from paint? Do we think they are all eating it, or that their parents/landlords are constantly sanding it for some reason and not simply painting over it? edit: Why am I being downvoted?

In New Orleans at least, there is a ton of lead in the soil. When I was working for the City, playgrounds were prime targets for remediation.

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#98

Every time I hear "lead poisoning" mentioned, I have flashbacks to myself as a child playing with my Dad's lead fishing weights like an idiot.

My dad had a workshop where he made woodwind instruments. For some applications he required lead. I recall entertaining myself as a kid by melting some small pieces of lead with a welding torch and looking at the pretty liquid metal. It was in the outside air, but I can't help but wonder what I may have done to my brain that day. Thank god he didn't have mercury.

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#99
post #94
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

What is the vector for lead exposure from paint? Do we think they are all eating it, or that their parents/landlords are constantly sanding it for some reason and not simply painting over it? edit: Why am I being downvoted?

You shouldn't be. Lead paint in-situ isn't dangerous. Disturbing lead paint is dangerous.

Mitigation/ removal of lead paint is more of a danger than the original risk.

Re: Around one-in-three children globally suffer from lead poisoning

#100
post #94
post #24

I can't give a cite for the following I read it in either a newspaper or magazine probably 30+ years ago. There was a school district in a small town that for the first time gave IQ tests to all of the children in some younger age group, I think around 7 or 8. The results showed a several point difference between the white kids and the Black kids. The district wrote this off as due to cultural bias in the tests. One…

What is the vector for lead exposure from paint? Do we think they are all eating it, or that their parents/landlords are constantly sanding it for some reason and not simply painting over it? edit: Why am I being downvoted?

Normal wear and tear?
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