Human Health and Lead For links to information on preventing
lead poisoning, please refer to the Related Links page. - Lead
in the Environment - Possible Ways to be Exposed to Lead -
Symptoms of Lead Exposure - Medical Tests for Lead Exposure -
Recommendations from the Federal Government - Frequently Asked
Questions Lead in the Environment Lead is a naturally-occurring
element that can be harmful to humans when ingested or inhaled,
particularly to children under the age of six. Lead poisoning
can cause a number of adverse human health effects, but is
particularly detrimental to the neurological development of
children. To learn more about the effects of lead poisoning and
EPA's role in reducing the presence of lead in the environment,
visit EPA Lead. For hundreds of years, lead has been mined,
smelted, refined, and used in products (e.g., as an additive in
paint, gasoline, leaded pipes, solder, crystal, and ceramics).
Natural levels of lead in soil range between 50 parts per
million (ppm) and 400 ppm. Mining,