Waste 2 Resources > PBT Initiative > Lead

The Lead CAP

The Washington Departments of Ecology and Health are recommending actions to protect human health and the environment from lead in the Lead Chemical Action Plan (CAP). Along with the valuable help of other agencies and a diverse group of stakeholders, the plan was developed to identify the dangers of lead, where it can be found in the environment, describe how people and animals are exposed and recommend ways to reduce its harm. The Lead CAP is a planning tool to guide statewide efforts. It is not a new law or regulation. While all the recommendations are important, addressing lead-based paint in older homes is the top priority. Children are the largest and most vulnerable group affected by lead, and lead-based paint is the most frequent cause of childhood lead poisoning.

What is lead?
Lead is naturally occurring metal and a powerful neurotoxin. Lead can cause many different types of health problems in both people and wildlife. Everyone has some exposure to lead, and harmful effects can occur from relatively common everyday exposures. While exposure to lead-based paint is the most frequent cause of lead poisoning in children, there are many other sources of lead from past and current uses.

Advisory Committee
This advisory committee, which consists of 18 members representing various stakeholder groups, met six times between July 2007 and May 2008 while Ecology and DOH developed the Lead CAP.  Click here to view the membership of the advisory committee.