Exposure to lead: a major public health concern, 3rd edition
Preventing disease through healthy environments
Overview
Lead is a toxic metal whose widespread use has caused extensive environmental contamination and health problems in many parts of the world. It is a cumulative toxicant that affects multiple body systems, including the neurological, haematological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal systems. Children are particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of lead, and even relatively low levels of exposure can cause serious and, in some cases, irreversible neurological damage.
Further efforts are required to continue to reduce the use and releases of lead, and to reduce environmental and occupational exposures, particularly for children and women of childbearing age. This document provides an updated information and guidance on lead poisoning interventions and concrete actions for decision makers.
This publication has been updated to include the latest information on lead-related burden of disease.
---------------------------
Note:
The 3rd edition of this publication is currently being updated to reflect new estimates of the burden of disease from exposure to lead. The new estimates published by the Institute of Health Evaluation and Metrics (IHME) for 2021 estimate that 1. 5 million deaths globally were attributed to lead exposure in 2021, primarily due to cardiovascular deaths.
---------------------------
