GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Kent County Board of Commissioners chair and the Grand Rapids Mayor announced Tuesday a new initiative aimed at ending child lead exposure in Kent County.
The Lead Action Team is focused on coordinating lead exposure programs to Kent County residents and keeping each other accountable about the dangers of lead, according to the commissioner's chair Mandy Bolter.
“While much has been accomplished, we recognize that there is much yet to be done. Our community has focused on this issue for years, and there are some great resources available to our residents," Bolter said in a press release from the Kent County Health Department.
One resource available is a campaign launched by the City of Grand Rapids and the Kent County Health Department called don't play around with lead. It focuses on educating people about the health hazards of lead exposure to children.
Lead is toxic to everyone, however, it is most harmful to children, especially those younger than 6, because they absorb lead more easily than others.
It is most commonly found in homes built before 1978, the same year lead-based paints were outlawed. Children living in homes built before then have the greatest risk of being contaminated, according to the Kent County Health Department.
When the old paint chips, flakes or peels, lead-contaminated dust can get on hands, toys, clothes, furniture and other items around the house. Breathing in or swallowing lead-contaminated dust can cause many health problems.
Some of the side effects are dangers to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, hearing and vision problems, and learning and behavior problems, according to the Kent County Health Department.
Bolter said the main reason she and Mayor Rosalynn Bliss are co-sponsoring the program is becuase one child exposed to lead in the Kent County community is too many.
Mayor Bliss said it's important to keep the momentum going on providing education programs aimed at tackling the problem of lead in homes and neighborhoods in Kent County.
Since the improved lead policies and programs throughout the county, elevated blood lead levels in children has decreased "dramatically" over the past decade, according to the health department.
"With early detection and intervention [of lead poising and exposure], we can positively change the entire trajectory of a child’s life," Bliss said.
The Kent County community can follow the Lead Action Team's progress by following this link.
More stories on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.