toys

Lead Exposure Remains A Persistent Problem | Earth Wise

October 29, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

According to a new report from UNICEF and the international nonprofit Pure Earth, a staggering number of children – approximately 800 million or one out of every three globally – may have dangerously high levels of lead in their blood.

Long-term exposure to lead can cause serious health problems, especially in children. Children are particularly vulnerable because their early years are characterized by rapid growth and brain development.

Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause damage even at low levels of exposure. Lead poisoning can be acute, and can cause all sorts of health issues, including stomach pain, brain damage, and even death. Because lead accumulates in the body over time, lead poisoning can develop slowly. The most common symptom of lead poisoning is lethargy. Lead exposure can also contribute to a lower IQ and behavioral problems that can last a lifetime.

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in earth’s crust. But as a result of human activities, lead can be found in all parts of the environment, including the air, soil, and water.

According to the report, much of the lead poisoning comes from lead-acid batteries that are not properly recycled. Water pipes, paint, canned foods, makeup, toys, and even contaminated spices can all be sources of lead exposure. Lead was also previously added to gasoline and traces of this remain in soil samples today.

The report found that children in low- or middle-income countries, especially in South Asia and among marginalized groups in general, are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.

Lead exposure remains a dangerous and persistent problem all around the world.

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Web Links

The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential

800 million children still exposed to lead

Photo, posted February 11, 2017, courtesy of J. Brew via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Keep Track Of Your LEGOs | Earth Wise

April 9, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Plastics in the ocean are a global problem that has attracted a great deal of attention. Most of the concern surrounds grocery bags, bottles, six-pack rings, and similar items. Recent research looked at another source of plastic pollution: LEGOs.

According to environmental scientists at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, it can take more than a thousand years for LEGO bricks to break down in the ocean. The iconic toys are made from a strong plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS. Pieces of LEGOs are commonly found in ocean trash hotspots and wash up on shores across the globe by the thousands.

LEGOs are one of the most popular children’s toys in history and part of what makes them so popular is their durability. Barefooted parents stepping on one on the floor in a dark room can attest to that fact. But the full extent of their durability came as a surprise to the researchers.

The scientists analyzed pieces of weathered LEGOs collected from beaches, confirmed their age, and compared them to unweathered LEGOs from the 70’s and 80’s. They were able to determine the extent to which LEGOs had been worn down by ocean waves, sand, and salt over time. And it was surprisingly little.

LEGO has acknowledged the environmental impact of its products and has launched a goal to make its bricks from more sustainable sources such as sugarcane-based polyethylene by 2030, as well as improve its efforts to recycle and reuse old LEGO plastic.

Meanwhile, we should all we careful of where our old LEGOs end up.

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