Parents
and Caregivers -
Simple ways to protect your family from lead-poisoning:
1) Maintain Good Housekeeping and Cleanliness:
- Wash children's hands and faces often, and especially before they eat
- Wash bottles, pacifiers and toys frequently
- Regularly clean floors, window sills, and other surfaces to reduce potential exposure to lead dust by using a wet mop and wet wipe on hard surfaces, using trisodium phosphate detergent or automatic dishwasher soap and water
2) Eat Right:
- Give your child nutritious, low-fat foods that are high in calcium and iron. Calcium and iron reduce the amount of lead absorbed by the body.
- Examples of foods high in iron are liver, fortified cereal, cooked beans, spinach, and raisins
- Examples of foods high in calcium are milk, yogurt, cheese, and cooked greens
3) Do Not Store Foods or Liquids in:
- Lead crystal glassware
- Imported or old pottery
- Open cans, especially imported cans
- Plastic bags with the printing on the inside - when reusing plastic bags to store or carry food, keep the printing on the outside of the bag
4) Do Not Bring Lead Dust Into Your Home:
- If you work in construction, demolition, painting, with batteries, in a radiator repair shop or lead factory, or if your hobby involves lead, you may unknowingly bring lead into your home or clothes.
- If Your Work or Hobbies Involve Lead - change clothes and shoes before entering your home. It's a good idea to keep clothes at work or wash work clothes as soon as possible.
- You may also be tracking in lead from the soil around your home. Soil very close to homes may be contaminated from lead paint on the outside of the building. Soil by roads or highways may be contaminated from years of exhaust fumes from cars and trucks that used leaded gas.
- Encourage your children to play in sand or grassy areas instead of dirt which sticks to fingers and toys. Try to keep your children from eating dirt, and make sure they wash their hands when they come ins
Do Not Attempt to Remove Lead Paint Yourself:
- If you suspect that lead-based paint has been used in your home or if you plan to remodel or renovate, get your home tested. Homeowners can obtain low-cost loans to remediate lead problems. Lead Hazard Controld Assistance (LHCA) Funds.
- Any company offering to perform evaluation or abatement in New Jersey must be certified. The following listings are updated periodically. You should contact the Lead Hazard Abatement Program by telephone at (609) 633-6224 or by fax at (609) 633-1040 to verify the contractor's certification status prior to having evaluation or abatement services performed.
For more information, contact the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs at 1-877-DCA LEAD (222-5323)
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