CHENANGO COUNTY – The Chenango County Department of Public Health will be visiting area towns to educate the community on the importance of Lead and Lead Poisoning.

We call this program “Lead Walk” and have been doing this event since 2012. Each year we walk in different towns and villages in Chenango County. This year, we will be visiting Afton, Bainbridge, Greene, Guilford, McDonough, New Berlin, Norwich, North Norwich, Oxford, Plymouth, Sherburne, and Smithville.

The theme is: “Lead: Beyond the Paint.”

Look for yellow doorknob hangers on your front door to access this educational information about lead poisoning. Additional information on the second side of the doorknob hangers about ticks and anaplasmosis will also be distributed.

Staff will be leaving this information at each residence in your town or village starting May 13, through the month of June. Staff members will be using pedometers and cellphones to count their steps and try to pass the 200-mile mark goal as a team.

Lead is a poisonous metal that can be found in some Chenango County residents’ homes or yards. Lead poisoning is commonly seen in young children who have a hand-to-mouth behavior, but it can affect anyone. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also a concern as it places their unborn or newborn child at risk when they are exposed to high lead levels. Lead travels throughout the body in the bloodstream. When you are pregnant your baby can be exposed through your blood. Babies exposed to lead can be born early or small. Children exposed to lead may have poor brain development or cause learning disabilities.

In 1978, the United States banned the use of lead in the production of paint. Some older homes still have lead paint. As the homes age and the paint deteriorates, it causes dust to be released into the air. This dust can land on surfaces throughout the home and is either inhaled or ingested in the mouth, causing lead poisoning. If you would like to explore lead poisoning more, visit the following websites:

www.health.ny.gov/environmental/lead/ or

www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm for more information.

Persons with questions or requiring additional information may contact the Chenango County Health Department at (607) 337-1660.

– Information from the Chenango County Health Department