Officials in Cumberland Salem counties believe lead-based paints in older homes are the main cause of high lead levels in children.
The danger lead exposure poses to children has long been a concern of health officials, but the tainted-water crisis in Michigan has brought the issue to the forefront both on the national and local levels.
Health officials believe older homes that contain lead-based paint poses a threat to children. (File Photo) Last week, the Trenton-based community development organization Isles, Inc., said statistics show 11 New Jersey cities and two counties -- Cumberland and Salem -- have a larger proportion of children testing higher for lead levels than those in Flint, Michigan.
In Flint, a change in the drinking water supply has exposed countless children to high lead levels.
Isles, Inc. environmental health director Elyse Pivnick said while 3.4 percent of children tested in Michigan had lead levels over what is deemed a safe limit, 4.3 percent in Cumberland County and 8.9 percent in Salem County have tested over the limit.
Cited was New Jersey Department of Health data from 2014, the latest year statewide statistics are available for.
Cumberland County Health Officer Megan Sheppard and Salem County Public Health Coordinator Annmarie Ruiz both say they have active testing programs and education and remediation efforts in place aimed at protecting children in their respective counties.
"We are concerned for those families who do not realize they are living in a lead contaminated environment or that their children are being exposed to lead through something as innocent as a toy," Sheppard said. "Education and testing is a priority in our county."
Both cite older homes in their counties where lead-based paint is still common as the leading cause of high lead levels found in childrens' blood.
"Most of the cases we see in children are a result from the deteriorated paint in those homes, especially if the homes are not being remodeled properly and children get exposed to the lead contaminated dust particles," Sheppard said, noting lead can also be found in some toys, jewelry and even soil.
Ruiz notes that children can also be exposed to lead contamination brought home by adults who work in an occupation that involves lead.
In Salem County, the areas with the largest number of children found with high lead levels in their blood are in Salem City and Penns Grove.
Ruiz says that in 2014, 853 children in Salem County were tested for lead. Twelve of those were confirmed to have over 10 micrograms per deciliter of lead in their blood, the level at which active intervention by health officials is needed. Of those tested, five children were from the same address, she said.
While the Cumberland County data cited by Isles, Inc. was from 2014, Sheppard provided 2015 data for her county.
She said in in 2015, 17 children were case managed after being found with high lead levels.
"We also had 92 children in which we found to have a smaller amount of lead in their blood and we provided education and assistance in locating a possible lead source that may be causing the trace amount of lead in their blood." Sheppard said.
While some of the statistics might be alarming, Ruiz warns that there are also anomalies that can impact the data.
In one Salem County case, it was determined that a child found with a high lead level had been exposed to lead during a visit to a relative's home in Philadelphia. That child's home in Salem County was fund to be lead free.
While both Sheppard and Ruiz point to lead-based paint as the main culprit for exposing children to lead, some still question whether industry plays a part.
"There are strict standards in the United States around the use of lead, so currently there should be no industrial influences," Sheppard said. "However, old factories or buildings that may have produced lead products could still be impacting the environment today if the building and surrounding land have not been tested and remediated."
Both Sheppard and Ruiz said once a child is found with high lead levels in their blood, their respective departments take action to take care of the child, find the source of the lead exposure and take steps to remedy the problem.
"We have been educating families, schools, daycares, and community members about the dangers of lead for quite some time now," said Sheppard who noted the Cumberland County Health Department has received a state lead-prevention grant.
"Daycares and schools have been wonderful partners of ours, allowing us to come in and test children with consent from the parent. We also get referrals from pediatricians and labs when a child's level is too high. These children are case-managed by us until their levels are reduced and we have found and removed or remediated the source of the lead."
Sheppard said last year Cumberland officials conducted 154 environmental inspections to either locate a lead source or rule out any lead in a home.
Ruiz said when the Salem health department receives a report that a child is is identified with high levels of lead in their blood, action is quick.
"... a public health nurse is immediately assigned to the case to educate the family, ensure on-going blood testing to monitor the trend of lead in the child's system and coordinate with the (health department's) environmental division to test for the presence of lead in the home," Ruiz said.
If lead is found, the health department will work with the homeowner to ensure lead is removed by a certified contractor.
"In rare cases of non-cooperation, the department will pursue a court order to force compliance," Ruiz said.
Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find NJ.com on Facebook.