CHILDREN residing near a now-closed battery recycling plant in Vernon, California have higher levels of lead in their blood compared to those living farther away, a new study by California health officials found.
The analysis, released Friday, April 8, by the California State Department of Public Health, found 3.58 percent of young children living one mile of the Exide Technologies plant had greater levels of lead in their blood in 2012 – the last year the facility was fully operational – compared with 2.41 percent of children living farther away. The national average is 1.95 percent.
The study examined blood results from 12,000 children residing within 4.5 miles of the plant and accounted only those under 6 years old, as the group is at the greatest risk for adverse effects of lead, including learning disabilities and developmental problems.
In response to the findings, Gov. Jerry Brown has committed $176 million to test 10,000 homes, parks, and daycare centers within 1.7 miles of the plant and to clean approximately 25 percent of the most contaminated properties.
Also contributing to the higher levels of the poisonous metal in children was the age of the homes they lived in, as lead levels in paint were not regulated until 1978. Taking that into consideration, along with other risk factors, the study found that the effect of living near the old plant on children’s lead levels was smaller but still detectable, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“While there are multiple sources of contamination harming southeast Los Angeles children, this report indicates that those living near Exide face an increased burden of lead, likely associated with the facility,” said Jill Johnston, a USC professor of preventive medicine who studies lead exposure in the affected neighborhoods, according to the publication. “Since any exposure to lead can cause irreversible damage, these results show a critical public health threat in the community.”
Exide Technologies in a statement said it is studying the analysis and that it “is not surprised to see that the age of the housing stock – indicating the likely presence of leaded paint – is an important predictor of blood levels.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers levels of lead five or more micrograms per deciliter of blood as significantly high. The study from the State Health Department found that those living within a mile of the plant had 4.5 micrograms or more of lead per deciliter of blood.
Although Brown approved funding for the clean up on Wednesday, April 6, some residents are unsatisfied.
“I don’t know why it’s taken so long, you would think by now they would be further along,” Teresa Marquez told EGP News.
“Children are being poisoned. We want it done yesterday,” she added.
In addition to Brown’s commitment, Exide officials have pledged $50 million to cleaning up the neighborhood, but only 200 properties have been cleaned so far.
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), who represents the Boyle Heights area, said the findings require urgent action.
“Now more than ever, it’s imperative that the testing and cleanup of all homes surrounding Exide happens quickly.”
Bruce Lanphear, a public health physician and professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, told the LA Times that officials should use blood lead data and soil lead levels to identify where to target cleanup efforts.
“Otherwise, they will be shooting in the dark,” he said.
Vernon is a 5.2-square-mile industrial city a few miles southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. It was the first exclusively industrial city in the Southwestern United States.
