Women from USW hold parties to raise awareness about toys, other imports (free lead test kits)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07292/826686-85.stm

Friday, October 19, 2007
By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Lake Fong/Post-Gazette
Leeann Anderson, left, a member of the United Steelworkers Women of Steel, and Mary Sparks, a local union activist trained by the USW, test a doll for lead contaminants at Ms. Anderson's home in Mt. Lebanon.

Leeann Anderson held a home demonstration party for the modern age yesterday. Instead of selling Tupperware or cosmetics, the Mt. Lebanon mother passed out lead-testing kits and showed her guests how to check toys for the toxic substance.

She pulled out a test swab, cracked it on both ends and shook the contents so they mixed together. Then she rubbed the tip for 30 seconds on the head of one of her daughter's dolls. The tip of the swab turned pink, indicating the presence of lead.

Ms. Anderson is assistant to Leo Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers of America. Her "Get the Lead Out" party was one of the first in a planned nationwide blitz by USW women, prompted by the continuous stream of imported products being recalled due to lead paint and other contaminants. The list includes toys, jewelry, lipstick, toothpaste, seafood, children's lunch boxes and pet food.

Most of the 10 women present were mothers and grandmothers associated with the union; they said they were taking matters into their own hands because of the U.S. government's failure to ensure the safety of imported products.

The campaign is providing free LeadCheck testing kits (made in the United States) to the public, while supplies last, at www.protect-our-kids.org or www.stoptoxicimports.org.

"We thought we'd solved this problem 30 years ago," said Steffi Domike, a grandmother of three and coordinator for the USW associate members program.

FULL story at link.

Effects of lead on children

• Low birth weight
• Growth retardation
• Anemia
• Stomach cramps
• Damage to cells and kidneys
• Interference with production of Vitamin D (for strong bones)
• Interruption of the making of red blood cells
• Muscle weakness
• Problems in formation of bones
• Damage to protective cover of nerves
• Irreversible brain cell damage
• Low IQ
• Seven-fold increase in failure to graduate from high school
• Adults retain 1 percent of the lead that enters their bodies; children retain 68 percent
Source: Environmental Health Center at Wayne State University

Symptoms of lead exposure
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Poor attention span
• Learning difficulties
• Slowed speech development
• Hyperactivity
Source: Environmental Health Education Center, University of Maryland School of Nursing

[TreasonousBastard]

1. While they're raising all this awareness, are they checking...

their dinnerware and crystal?

Federal lead limits for ceramic dinnerware are 2000ppb, while California prefers the limit of 224ppb. The Fed limit pretty much eliminates direct lead poisoning, but doesn't address possible long-term chronic problems from lead.

So, while you're checking for the lead in a doll, don't forget to check for lead in that cereal bowl your kid eats out of every day. Or your ceramic crockpot liner, or the coffee mug you got for that PBS pledge, or...

And lead glazes are NOT only used on Chinese dinnerware.