HEALTH & WELLNESS NEWS BREIF
Portland Public Health Raises Lead Poisoning Prevention Awareness
Portland Public Health division is spreading the word about how to protect children from lead poisoning.
Dust from old lead-based paint, frequently found in homes built before 1978, is the major source of childhood lead poisoning in Maine. In the Portland area, approximately 50% of homes were built before 1950, illustrating why the communities of Portland and Westbrook should engage in prevention and early detection efforts.
“Children deserve healthy homes in order to thrive. Whether you are a parent, family member, or another adult who prioritizes the well-being of children, we are asking for your help in making sure every space is free from lead. This is done by testing your home, testing children, and staying informed,” said Val Johnstone, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Coordinator.
Even low levels of lead exposure can impair a child’s cognitive development, putting them at a disadvantage in school.
Portland Public Health encourages parents to follow requirements to screen all children for lead poisoning at ages 1 and 2 years old. Childhood lead poisoning is preventable. Yet, nearly 300 Maine children under 3 years old were newly identified with lead poisoning in 2021.
In addition to blood lead testing, families should follow these tips for keeping children safe from lead at home:
- Get your home tested. If you live in a home built before 1950 and have young children, order a free lead dust test kit at maine.gov/healthyhomes.
- Wash your child’s hands often, especially before eating and sleeping. Wash floors, windowsills, and children’s toys once a week. Enter Portland Public Health’s Free Cleaning Kit Raffle for the chance to win over $150 worth of cleaning supplies used to properly mitigate lead dust. See portlandmaine.gov/363/Lead-Poisoning-Prevention for details.
- Keep children away from chipping and peeling paint and areas of your home where you are doing renovations or home repairs.
- Renovate your home in a lead-safe way. Never dry scrape or sand chipping or peeling paint. Learn how to renovate, repair, and paint safely before beginning any home improvement projects.
To increase awareness in Portland and Westbrook about the need to test older homes for lead, the Portland Public Health Division partners with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to provide families of young children free lead dust testing resources.
For additional information, please visit our Portland Public Health Facebook page and Instagram page. To learn more about state level initiatives, please visit maine.gov/healthyhomes.
For more information or to request a free lead dust kit, contact: leadprevention@portlandmaine.gov
