Sustainable Resources Center

06/27/2024

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/research-finds-lead-largest-health-212000828.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9maWxlcy5tYWlsLWxpc3QuY29tLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJtQ2EE7KQ1grUJoe85vuJlJeaZKIk8uRvAgbUPTnnXwYEJ7Ewae1affzaYgUEylPGB1XCtWZvfEcOank1apzdsRJdLbeSxTqMA-3rCfaDRcxNPusd29jEbUkuv47EdyVFTVwYfdPtIZDB2TQzjrVgArgJQJpcF-hkBB2uhsDljW

NEW YORK, June 25, 2024--In a global analysis of health impacts, lead stands out as the largest chemical of concern, with an estimated median of 1.7 million deaths annually.

12/07/2023

11/26/2023

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Bring warmth to your community and donate to these local organizations.

10/27/2023

Happy National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week!

We at Sustainable Resources Center (SRC) are committed to preventing childhood lead exposure through education, free lead testing for children under the age of 6, and by supporting the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County with their Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Grants.

Lead is a heavy metal that has no safe level in the human body. Children especially are at risk of blood lead poisoning. Blood toxicity can result in many negative health effects, including behavioral and learning difficulties, hearing and speech issues, slowed growth and development, and brain and nervous system damage. Young children are often exposed to lead through touching, swallowing, or breathing in lead dust.

Risk factors for childhood lead exposure include:
Residing in older housing (the EPA estimates that greater than 80% of homes built pre-1978 contain lead-based paint), living in poverty (when comparing areas of different poverty levels, high levels of poverty are associated with greater elevated blood lead levels; neighborhoods with higher-than-MN-average poverty were 3.5x more likely to have elevated blood lead levels compared to neighborhoods with less-than-MN-average poverty), and working a job with lead exposure (jobs such in construction and manufacturing have higher levels of exposure to lead).

The effects of lead are permanent but lead exposure can be limited or minimized by taking proper precautionary measures. Here are some actions you can take to limit lead exposure:
Eat a well-balanced diet containing foods rich in calcium, iron, and vitamin C, regularly clean around the home (especially in dusty areas and areas of high friction with chipping paint, with wet-washing techniques to prevent lead dust in the air, more information at https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/lead/fs/cleaningup.html ), and ensure the products being used in the home are lead-free (some imported toys, folk and traditional medicines, spices, cosmetics, and imported ceramics contain lead).

In recent years, children raised in Minneapolis or St. Paul have a 2x greater risk of lead exposure than the MN average and any other region of MN. Source: MDH Blood Lead Information System.

The Lead Division at the SRC offers free in-home visits to educate families on the dangers of lead and test peeling paint in the house for lead. The SRC also provides grants through Hennepin County to help with the cost of replacing windows with lead paint along with other home safety concerns. Events are hosted throughout the year where free lead tests for children under 6, people who are pregnant, or people who work jobs with possible exposure to lead can receive free lead testing. If you would like to learn more about the services the SRC offers, visit our website at src-mn.org or give us a call at (612) 870-4255. Further information about the Lead Hazard Control Grant can be found at https://www.src-mn.org/what-we-do/lead-hazard-control.html and https://www.hennepin.us/residents/property/lead-paint-hazards

10/26/2023

If your home was built before 1978, test your home for lead.

There are a variety of lead testing resources available, such as:

- Looking up the lead-paint status of your home online
- Sending us a soil sample
- Requesting a limited paint inspection. This service is provided to eligible families living in specific neighborhoods.

Help protect your children from lead poisoning by knowing if there’s lead in your home.

Learn more: minneapolismn.gov/lead-paint

10/26/2023

Lead poisoning is preventable! Get your child tested. A simple blood test can detect lead. 🩸 Learn about more ways to protect children from lead exposure.
www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/lead-levels-in-children-fact-sheet-508.pdf [PDF – 100 KB]

10/26/2023

This week (10/23-10/27) is International Lead Week. Lead poisoning is most common in children and can be easily prevented!

10/24/2023

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE, TOMORROW, AT 3:00 P.M. ET!

You read that right: Our popular annual chat in support of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ( ) is coming to this platform! In fact, we're going to run in across four platforms simultaneously!

Is this a great idea or a terrible one? We're not sure yet, but we have seen registrants favoring LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook in addition to the classic X/Twitter.

The success of this experiment depends largely on how many of you participate in some way, so why not meet us tomorrow (October 25) from 3:00 to 4:00 ET at the NCHH account you prefer and see what happens? Bring your amazing resources, research, best practices, or just your eyes to this experiment and check it out.

If you'd like to participate, we recommend registering for the chat at https://bit.ly/NLPPWchat23, so you can download the chat questions in advance. (Or, you can just wing it....)

We look forward to seeing our chat registrants out in force tomorrow to help end lead poisoning once and for all.

03/30/2023

CAPI and our friends at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church are hosting a Spring Health Fair on April 6th! A number of clinics will be taking place, including COVID-19 vaccinations by Odam Medical Group, foot care (limited spots) by SoleCare for Souls, blood pressure testing and fluoride varnish by M Health Fairview, and lead testing by Sustainable Resources Center.

Other health resources will be available along with food boxes (first come first serve), and a sock and shoe distribution (while supplies last). Jumbo eggrolls on a stick from KCM Eggrolls will also be available!

Want to volunteer at the Health Fair? Sign up below!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44aea729abfbc34-community #/

When: April 6
Time: 4 pm - 7 pm
Where: Cross of Glory Lutheran Church
5929 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center

02/13/2023

https://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2023/lead021023.html

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging employees of the Federal Ammunition plant in Anoka to have their children tested for lead exposure after MDH, Anoka County and St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health identified four children with elevated blood lead levels due to exposure to lead dust...

09/02/2022

Who else is excited for the long weekend? We here at SRC are looking forward to 3 days filled with family, friends, and sun! As you soak up the last days of warm weather make sure you're aware of how some of your favorite summer hobbies can can contribute to lead poisoning. If you plan on spending some time on the lake fishing this holiday weekend, look into lead-free alternatives to add to your tackle box as lead can harm both people and the wildlife that helps make the great state of Minnesota such a wonderful place to live!