General

Another reason to keep the kids from eating mud pies

Soil major source of lead: study

Lead fears are back again, and this time they’re coming from the garden. Bristol University researchers are warning to parents to keep their kids from putting soil-covered fingers in their mouths after a study found that surprisingly low levels of lead can cause bad behaviour and stunted intellectual growth. Though dirt eaten by children is one of the main sources of the poison, it is also found in water pipes, dust, pottery and toys. The blood level threshold currently thought to do harm is 10 micrograms per decililtre, but according to the researchers, a level of even half of that can do damage.

The Telegraph

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