| Lead in toys is a modern concern. inexpensive, flexible paints are often based on red or white lead, or both. If we think about the relative toxicity of mercury (3000 times more toxic, according to the FDA), and we consider that Mercurochrome, and Merthiolate, and Thimerosal, are all mercury bearing compounds sold on our pharmacy shelves, then perhaps we can slow the toxic panic. This mercury is in vaccines, and Amalgam fillings, as well. At one time, all newsprint was made with lead, so each home that had newspapers was constantly accumulating toxic layers of lead. Automotive fuels used tetraethyl lead to boost the octane of cheap gasoline, enabling our auto industries to use cheaper fuel. the lead also produced a plating on the inside of the car's cylinders, making them smoother, and more wear resistant. the lead also plated our exhaust systems, and helped keep them from rusting out. Unfortunately, we who lived in urban areas breathed this lead, and the dust on our city streets had large quantities of toxic lead. Children 100 years ago played with lead toys, and lead paints were used in our homes until the 1970's. I imagine our ubiquitous yellow schoolbusses are painted with lead paint. (which our children handle, as they go to school.) Many water mains still in use in old cities, are made of lead. This is a large infrastructure to replace, and the process is costly, and time consuming. Policemen, and the military handle ammunition, which is composed of lead, and they are exposed on firing ranges. Other sources of lead: Cheap Lipstick, Cheap cosmetics, cheap pierced earrings, Bread bag paint, Grocery bag paint. Boutique store bags, Toys sold in dollar stores, painted with cheap colorful flexible lead paints. #2 Pencils, which children tend to chew upon, are painted with paints that may be based upon lead. Food grown in lead contaminated soils. Cheap glazed ceramics from mexico, and china. Mouse pad paint, and the paints on cheap keyboards, and the paints on computer mice. As you can see, there are many sources of lead. Lead is not the only problem!!!!! Cadmium is found in red and yellow paint pigments... Cadmium is a major toxin. Plastic water bottles PTE plastic is based around the metal antimony. Antimony is suspected of having toxic effects. Realize that the current wave of paint and toy concerns, is largely an economic one... Lets look at this problem in the light of truth, and not as a matter of economic favoritism. |
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