2009 High Lead Poisoning Rates in Douglas County
Julie Anderson’s 1998 Omaha World-Herald article, “Poisoning by Lead Hit 22%: Tests on Douglas County Children Result in Formation of a Group to Combat the Health Problem”, reports on an alarming surge in childhood lead poisoning in Douglas County. During the quarter ending September 30, the Douglas County Health Department tested 612 children for the first time, and 162—22 percent—were found to have elevated blood-lead levels. This rate is more than four times the national average of 4.4 percent. Reid Steinkraus, supervisor of the county’s childhood lead-poisoning prevention program, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, calling the numbers “unacceptable” and noting that the trend appeared to be increasing. In response, a working group of officials from federal, state, county, and city agencies, joined by medical professionals from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, formed to address the issue.
The article explains that the county’s testing program is concentrated in neighborhoods east of 45th Street in Omaha, areas known for older housing stock where deteriorating lead-based paint poses significant risk. The data showed that there were high rates of poisoning in many ZIP codes in the Omaha area. It showed that the ZIP code 68110 had 42.8% children showing elevated levels of lead poisoning which was the highest. Although this was the highest many others also had high rates like 68111 with 35.4%, 68105 with 30.2%, 68107 with 22.8%, 68131 with 22.6%, and 68108 with 20.6%. This data showed slightly higher rates than the previous years where 20.9% of children showed elevated lead levels. This showed that Steinkraus improved the targeting of high-risk children.
The article places these current concerns in historical context by noting earlier investigations into potential soil contamination from the ASARCO lead refinery located at 500 Douglas Street. A previous County Health Department study funded by a federal lawsuit settlement with Asarco had examined both children’s blood-lead levels and soil samples. It found that children’s blood-lead levels were elevated, but it did not see evidence that linked it to the levels of ASARCO’s operations. Even with this finding there was still concern. Omaha City Councilman Frank Brown and others argued that airborne emissions from ASARCO might have contributed to long-term contamination. Records from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality showed that ASARCO’s airborne lead emissions exceeded federal standards in most quarters after 1979, with approximately 11 tons of lead released annually during the early 1990s.
In addition to blood testing, the county also conducted soil testing at 65 homes since late July of the same year and found that 12 had soil lead levels above 400 parts per million, the threshold for hazard. Still, Steinkraus noted that determining the source of soil contamination requires additional testing for metals associated with specific lead sources. He asserted that the primary risk factor in Douglas County remained the age and condition of housing, pointing out that more than 31 percent of the area’s housing stock was built before 1950, when lead-based paint contained high concentrations of lead.
Steinkraus’s department managed cases for 700 children. These children had previously tested positive for lead poisoning. There may have been additional children diagnosed and treated, but these were through private healthcare providers. This means that the overall number was probably even higher just in the past year alone there have been four children in Douglas County that have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities these disabilities have been attributed to lead poisoning and have undergone medical treatment to remove lead from their blood.
This article discusses the growing public health crisis in Omaha that happened in the late 1990s. It explains the formation of governmental response aimed at identifying where the exposure was, increasing screening, as well as protecting children from the long-term harms of lead poison.
Anderson, J. (2009, October 25). Asarco agrees to pay $6.79 million for Omaha cleanup. Omaha World-Herald. https://infoweb-newsbank-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/12DE704AA368E548