Is Lead Good Or Bad

Lead has been around for thousands of years, used with various products, and is a deadly element. Lead is found in all parts of Earth’s crust and has been used in products of various items in our homes, such as paint, pipes, batteries and even cosmetics (“Lead poisoning….” 2017). Humans have learned that lead is highly dangerous once inside our bodies, shutting down organs and beginning a wide collection of symptoms from lead poisoning. It is released into the environment through industrial products like cars, mining and when other countries use products like gas and and paint containing lead (“Learn….” 2017). Also, lead could be contained in glasses or dishes that food or drink was in, which thus contaminates what the person consumed and placing lead in their bodies. Lead is called …show more content…
Homes or facilities built when lead paint was still used and have not been recently renovated are at high risk of poisoning the people inside. The old paint may chip and fall, causing the lead to spread out and affect the people around. When lead is stored inside the body, it usually accumulates inside teeth and other bones or laid on organs and running through the bloodstream, poisoning humans everywhere. Children are the most affected because they will pick up and eat the paint chips or eat dirt that contains any level of lead. Children may even simply touch something that contains lead and later on stick their hands in their mouths, exposing them to lead and poisoning them. Over 450,000 children have been affected by lead poisoning and were tested positive for high levels of lead inside their blood (Harvard Health Publications 2006). When consumed at a young age, lead may not begin to show signs and symptoms until the child is older. Children may begin to show signs of behavior and learning problems, lowered IQ, reduced attention span, slowed growth, hypertension (high blood pressure) and anemia (when the blood lacks