mm ETKDDSPyVYIN DIRf- @mM fe© ®s[oXo)g@(o] G® y gjfe D@w@Dg ®(F 0@©(°] has m formation to help keep you safe. Wash and peel all garden vegetables and fruits and avoid growing root crops (such as carrots, beets, potatoes) oEPA Wipe shoes on doormat or remove shoes c Wash dogs regularly Wash children's toys and babies' pacifiers regularly USS Lead Site Zones 2 and 3 Don't eat food, chew gum, or smoke when working in the yard and wear gloves Wash children's hands and feet after they have been playing outside Atsdr AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY Damp mop floors and damp dust counters and furniture regularly ------- Wfflmit S$kM md wlhy Exposure to high levels of lead can cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities to seizures and death. Children 6 years old and younger are most at-risk because their bodies are growing quickly and the effects of the lead can cause problems. Children often have higher levels of exposure because they play in dirt and may put dirty hands in their mouths. Also, children who lack proper nutrition may absorb more lead and suffer more harmful effects. Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal. It is commonly found at low levels in soil. Low levels of lead can be found in the air, water, food and dust in cities because of the widespread use of lead in man-made products. The federal government regulates the amount of lead in the air, water and soil. Eating or swallowing soil with high lead levels is a common way of getting lead into your body. Children get lead in their bodies when they put their hands, toys or other items covered with lead dust in their mouths. When lead gets into your body, it may cause health problems. Do not let children play in dirt that contains high amounts of lead. • Have children play on grass. • Keep children from playing in bare dirt or mulch. • Cover bare dirt with grass, bushes or 4 to 6 inches of lead-free wood chips, mulch, soil or sand. Protect your family from lead-based paint in the yard. • Keep your family, especially young children, away from areas in the yard where paint is peeling or chipping, such as from old porches, fences, or houses. • Do not try to remove lead paint yourself unless you have been trained to follow lead-safe work practices. Hire a professional lead specialist who follows lead-safe work practices. • If you paint over lead-based paint, use special paint that will seal in the old paint. Keep children's hands and toys clean. • Wash children's hands before they eat any food if they have been playing outside. • When eating outdoors, always eat in an area where there is no bare soil. • Do not let your children put toys, dirty hands, paint chips, or other things that might have lead dust on them into their mouths Residents may have their children's blood lead tested by calling the East Chicago Health Department at 219-391-8467. USS Lead Site East Chicago, IN For further information about the EPA investigation: EPA Contacts: Thomas Alcamo Remedial Project Manager 312-886-7278 or toll-free at 800-621-8431, ext. 6-7278 alcamo. thomas@epa.gov Timothy Drexler Remedial Project Manager 312-353-4367, or toll-free at 800-621-8431, ext. 34367 drexler. timothy@epa.gov Janet Pope Community Involvement Coordinator 312-353-0628 or toll-free at 800-621-8431, Ext. 30628 pope.janet@epa.gov Brad Benning On-Scene Coordinator 312-353-7613 or toll-free at 800-621-8431,ext.37613 benning.bradley@epa.gov Questions about lead health concerns, contact: Mark Johnson, PhD Toxicologist ATSDR-R5 312-886-0840 mdjohnson@cdc.gov Motria Caudill, PhD Environ. Health Scientist ATSDR-R5 312-886-0267 mcaudill@cdc.gov ------- |