New Jersey Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen Joined Elizabeth Mayor Bollwage for Lead Poisoning Prevention Event

ELIZABETH -- New Jersey Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen joined Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage and several local community-based organizations for a kick-off event in celebration of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week on Tuesday, October 13 at a local Head Start agency.

The event, which was developed in partnership with the Elizabeth Coalition for Lead Poisoning Prevention, recognized the efforts by the partnership to combat childhood lead poisoning and its work at raising public awareness throughout the community.

Click here to view photo of the Elizabeth Kick-Off event

"Elizabeth has been an acknowledged leader in addressing the important issue of preventing childhood lead poisoning," said Chen, who has made lead poisoning prevention a signature issue for his Department.

"It is important that parents especially with young children be informed of the dangers of lead poisoning and learn how to eliminate it from their homes," said Mayor Bollwage. "Through on-site screenings for children, home inspections, hands-on cleaning instructions and seminars we can effectively reduce the incidents of lead poisoning."

The event included workshop presentations regarding lead prevention through nutrition, effects of lead poisoning, and wipe-out lead kit demonstration courtesy of the Elizabeth Coalition for Lead Poisoning Prevention. Lead screenings were provided on-site for those children attending the Leaguers HeadStart Daycare Center, where the event took place.

Last year, the City of Elizabeth  signed a Model Lead Safe City agreement with the Public Advocate and pledge, among other things, to continue efforts to increase awareness on lead poisoning.

Chen unveiled a report in April 2008 that showed that thousands of children in New Jersey are poisoned in their homes every year due to exposure to deteriorating lead-based paint.  According to the Public Advocate's report, the childhood lead poisoning problem was determined to be particularly acute in the state's major cities. In response to the report, Governor Jon S. Corzine has signed an executive order requiring state departments to tighten their lead poisoning prevention activities.

Under the Model Lead-Safe City agreement, Elizabeth officials committed to take steps to: improve educational outreach on the issue; expand the number of children screened for lead poisoning; improve the inspections of properties that may be lead-burdened; crack down on landlords who fail to abate lead-contaminated properties; and provide improved relocation assistance and more lead-safe housing to affected families

The Elizabeth Coalition for Lead Education and Prevention was established in 2005 as a catalyst for promoting lead-free children and lead-safe housing in the City of Elizabeth. The Coalition consists of the participation from the City of Elizabeth, Holy Redeemer Homecare, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabethport Presbyterian Center, Proceed Inc., Amerigroup, Josephine's Place, Egenolf Early Childhood Center, and the Leaguers Head Start Program and active residents.

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