Household products remain a stubborn source of lead exposure even after years of efforts to curb the toxic metal, a new study says.
Spices, supplements, food containers, cosmetics, children's toys and other consumer products were the only source of lead exposure in 15% to 38% of cases, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that reviewed data from California, Oregon, Washington and New York between 2019 to 2021.
Eating food or drinking water containing lead poisons the bloodstream with the toxic metal.
Months to years of consuming lead can cause memory problems, muscle and joint pain and high blood pressure, among other issues.
More dangerous for children
Lead is especially dangerous for children even in shorter time spans because of their fast growth, causing issues such as developmental delays, learning difficulties, hearing loss and seizures.
Nearly one out of 33 children have unusually high levels of lead in their blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even so, some companies aren't testing their products for lead to save money, the study says.
And there also legal issues: A patchwork of federal and state agencies are responsible for various products that can contain lead, opening loopholes for manufacturers to skirt accountability.
A central database tracking the risks of lead exposure in products would help address the problem by giving people an easier way to protect themselves, said Adrienne Ettinger, adjunct professor at Rutgers School of Public Health, who reviewed the study.
"Ensuring that consumer products are free of lead and mitigating historical sources of lead from the production, manufacturing and disposal of consumer goods are critical actions for public health," Ettinger said.
The findings come after a string of recent product recalls because of lead, including warnings this year that more than a dozen cinnamon brands have unsafe levels of the toxic metal.
Fears over lead in food rose in late 2023 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration told parents not to buy WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches that had too much lead in them.