Some Mission residents are finding fliers on their homes saying that “lead hazards have been found on the outside of this building,” an indication of possible health problems for the tenants, particularly children under six.
In June the city began offering free home evaluations for lead hazards in an effort to reduce the number of cases of lead poisoning in the Mission, which has historically had the highest number of cases in the city, according to Senior Environmental Health Inspector Karen Yu.
Inspectors from the Children’s Environmental Health Promotion Program of the San Francisco Department of Public Health will survey the exteriors of buildings in the Mission. Upon encountering lead hazards, such as peeling paint, the inspector will leave a flier. The flier encourages tenants to contact the Department for an evaluation of the interior of the building and warns them of the the dangers of lead poisoning.
“It’s not the program that’s special,” said Yu, highlighting the importance of protecting children from the sometimes lead-contaminated dust brought into the home from construction site jobs. She has having worked with many families in the neighborhood. “It’s the targeting of the Mission.”
“The children basically eat it,” she added.
Lead is a naturally occurring metal that—from the 1950s to the year 2000—was used increasingly in compounds used for paint pigments, dyes, ceramic glazes and caulk, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Its use has been minimized in the past 20 years as it is now a known neural toxin.
The effects of long-term exposure to lead—either through breathing or swallowing—can be severe for adults and children. Because it mainly attacks the nervous system, adults may experience decreased levels of performance and weakness in joints. In older adults, lead poisoning may cause an increase in blood pressure. Pregnant women exposed to high levels of lead may miscarry, according to a public health statement from the ATSDR.
“It’s a concern that comes up from time to time,” said District 9 Supervisor David Campos regarding lead poisoning. “They need to have the knowledge and information that it’s a concern.”
Children are at an even greater risk for exposure to lead due to the fact that they play in the dust and dirt on the ground and place non-food items in their mouths (such as paint chips), according to the ATSDR.
Depending on the amount of lead ingested by a child, the effects may range anywhere from anemia, kidney damage, colic, muscle weakness and brain damage, which may lead to death. A fetus that is exposed to lead in the womb may be born prematurely and weigh less at birth. Effects of lead may later be seen in the child through slow mental development and lower intelligence.
The free home evaluations for lead hazards are funded by the Center for Disease Control’s Healthy Home Initiative, which is an organized approach to preventing diseases and injuries caused by housing-related hazards.
Recognizing that undocumented individuals may be wary of contacting a government agency to bring inspectors into their home, Yu has added an additional statement to the fliers: “We do not check your immigration status.”
Campos also realizes that government agencies must be cautious with undocumented individuals “anytime we have a program like this with city officials.” But he also recognizes the danger of lead hazards in the home. Many working-class Mission residents “may not have the means otherwise” to evaluate their homes for potential hazards.
“They should not be afraid to come out with these concerns,” he said.
This is not the first action taken to ensure lead-free homes in San Francisco. The usage of lead-based paint was banned in 1978. In 2008 new lead safety regulations for contractors remodeling or demolishing pre-1978 buildings in San Francisco were put in place. Those contractors not following regulations could receive a fine of $1,000. As of April 22 the Environmental Protection Agency required all contracting firms to employ at least one employee certified in lead safety.
Although the program has yet to hear from tenants of homes with potential lead hazards, Yu expects to receive a response from approximately ten percent of the buildings where fliers are left.
“We’ve been doing lead work in the City for many years,” said Yu. The current program’s efforts will continue “until we cover the Mission.”
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