Overview
Although many countries have initiated programmes to lower the level of lead in the environment, human exposure to lead remains of concern to health care providers and public health officials worldwide. For over 35 years the World Health Organization and the International Programme on Chemical Safety have been concerned about the adverse effects on health of lead in the environment.
The evaluation of human health risks arising from foodborne lead has been carried out by the World Health Organization on four occasions since 1972. In addition, health-based guidance values for lead in water, air and the workplace have been developed by various task groups convened by the World Health Organization. Environmental Health Criteria 3: Lead, published in 1977, examined the effects of lead on human health, and Environmental Health Criteria 85: Lead – Environmental Aspects was published in 1989. During the past 10 years, a large body of knowledge on the effects of lead on neurobehavioural development of children at low levels of exposure has accumulated. This booklet focuses on what is known about childhood lead poisoning, an entirely preventable disease.
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