Lead can be hazardous to health, especially in children. Lead is found in many unexpected places, including inside and outside homes in Dakota County.
- About 44,000 homes in Dakota County -- nearly one-half of all homes -- were built before lead paint was banned in 1978.
- In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, broken car battery casings were used as fill material for home septic systems in some Dakota County lots. As a result, lead contaminated car battery chips and parts may be in the soil in some Dakota County homes.
- On November 16, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 16 areas in the U.S. are not meeting the agency’s national air quality standards for lead, including a portion of Eagan.
- Lead emitted into the air can be inhaled or can be ingested after it settles.
- Children are the most susceptible because they are more likely to ingest lead and their bodies are developing rapidly.
- Exposure to lead may impair a child’s IQ, learning capabilities and behavior.
- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulates air quality in Minnesota.
- More information is posted on the City of Eagan website.
- Many Dakota County families with children possess items that are made of lead or have lead paint, such as toys, fishing tackle, jewelry, or glazed cookware.
To help alert the public to the hazards of lead in the home and community, Dakota County Public Health and Environmental Management Departments launched the "Get the Lead Out" campaign.
Information about preventing lead poisoning in Spanish and other languages