Lead

What are the health impacts of lead exposure?

Lead is a potent neurotoxicant, meaning it can harm our brains. Children are most vulnerable to the impacts of lead exposure. Lead exposure in children is associated with:

• Decreased intelligence quotient (IQ) scores.
• Anti-social behavior.
• High blood pressure.
• Kidney damage.

Because lead is so harmful to brain development, there is no known safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children.

What are common sources of lead exposure?

Despite being restricted since 1978, lead paint remains the most common source of childhood lead poisoning. While lead exposure has decreased in recent years due to regulations on lead in paint and gasoline, people can still be exposed to lead from:

• Contaminated soil, food, and drinking water.
• Some consumer products.

For example, lead can be a contaminant in some metal-based products, such as cookware or jewelry and is still intentionally used in some weighted products, like fishing weights and ammunition, which can release lead to the environment. Learn more about common sources of lead poisoning.

What is Ecology doing about lead?

Although lead exposure is declining, since there is no safe level of lead exposure, we and the Department of Health continue to reduce additional sources of lead exposure. Lead is regulated in consumer products under a number of statutes and programs.

Cookware containing lead law

In 2024, the Cookware Containing Lead law (Chapter 70A.565 RCW) passed. This law prohibits the sale of cookware containing lead in Washington.

Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (TFCA)

In 2023, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (TFCA) (Chapter 70A.560 RCW) passed, which aims to improve cosmetic and personal care product safety by restricting the manufacture, distribution, and sale of cosmetic products that contain certain toxic chemicals, including lead and lead compounds, within Washington.

Safer Products for Washington

In 2019, the Toxic Pollution Law (Chapter 70A.350 RCW) passed, which allows us to implement the Safer Products for Washington program. This law gives us the authority to restrict certain priority chemicals, such as lead, in consumer products.

Lead chemical action plan (CAP)

In 2008, we and the Department of Health developed the lead chemical action plan (CAP). We conducted an extensive evaluation and developed recommendations for agencies across Washington to address ways they can help reduce or eliminate these sources. Our research determined that Washington’s top priority is addressing lead-based paint in older homes (those built before 1978), since children are so vulnerable to poisoning from this source of lead.

Timeline: Actions to address lead in Washington