Ways to Prevent Lead Exposure

  • Handwashing reduces the likelihood of exposure after contact with lead-contaminated surfaces. 

  • Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to keep lead dust from being moved throughout the home.
  • Wet wipe windowsills, door frames, and floors.
  • Clean play areas, toys, and toy containers.

  • Lead poisoning can occur through ingesting lead paint chips or dust, so it is important to limit a child’s contact with a contaminated surface.

  • Lead may be tracked in the house if exposed to lead-contaminated soil, workplace lead sources, or hobby-related lead sources. 

  • If you suspect that your water is lead-contaminated, contact the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.
  • For best practice, run your water for 1 minute before use.
  • Use cold water when making formula for infants to limit potential lead exposure.

  • Cover bare soil with grass, mulch, or wood chips to limit lead exposure.
  • Get soil tested if you suspect that it is contaminated with lead.

  • Occupations at higher risk of lead exposure include, but are not limited, to working with stained glass, painting, soldering, automobile battery manufacturing or recycling, vehicle radiator repair, house painting/remodeling, autobody work and repair.
    • These occupations may cause take-home lead exposure.
    • Take-home lead exposure occurs when the worker tracks the lead from work into the household.

  • Lead bullets can cause lead fragments to contaminate the game when hunted.
  • Use copper bullets to limit any chance of lead contamination in the hunted game.

  • Be cautious lead crystal, pewter, pottery, or ceramics made in the U.S. before 1978 or made in other countries that are used for cooking, storing, or serving food or beverages.
    • Lead may be in the glaze of older pottery or ceramics, or in pottery or ceramics made outside the U.S.
    • Lead may contaminate food or beverages by encountering these lead-based glazes.
    • Lead-based glazes are used to allow for a glass-like finish that allows for bright colors to show.

  • Products that have been recalled for potential lead-contamination are reported on the CPSC website.
  • Check the "Recall" area of CPSC.gov

  • Be cautious of products made outside of the United States such as vinyl mini-blinds, cosmetics, color crayons, toys, canned foods, pottery or ceramics, spices, candies, etc.
  • Lead is still used in many countries, so it is important to be aware if any of these products have lead in them.
  • Spices from Georgia (country), Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Morocco tend to have the highest lead content.
  • Other examples of products typically with high lead content include imported chili powder and tamarind, ba-baw-san, Daw Tway, Ghasard, Kohl, kajal, al-Kahal, surma, tiro, tozali, and kwalli.