Fred Salome
industrial chemist, paint

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
medical and scientific commentator

Dr John Wlodarczyk
statistician

Prof Geoffrey Duggin
clinical toxicologist

Jack Haley
automotive engineering, environmental impacts of vehicles

Michelle Calvert
local government

Michael Mobbs
environmental law

Elizabeth O'Brien
community advocacy, international campaigning

Theresa Gordon
point source community advocacy, international campaigning

Dr Kate Hughes
political scientist, toxics campaigner

Dr Marc Grunseit
professional and hobby (leadlighting) safety

Robin Mosman
conflict resolution

Prof Michael Mira
public health, general practice

Dr Ben Balzer
general practice

Rosemary Ayoub
early childhood education

Mike van Alphen
public health and environmental investigation

Mariann Lloyd-Smith
international toxics campaigning

Carol Bodle
lead assessment and occupational hygiene

Mayor Darryl Gerrity
Local government

Perry Gottesfeld
public health and the environment

global lead advice     & support service

Run by

The Lead Education and Abatement Design Group Working to eliminate childhood and foetal lead poisoning by the year 2012 and to protect the environment from lead ABN 25 819 463 114

About the Global Lead Advice and Support Service (GLASS)

Fact Sheet Created 15^th Feb 2006, Revised 8^th Sept 2006

What GLASS Does

GLASS provides information, advice, counselling and referrals in relation to the management and prevention of lead poisoning and lead contamination. We can refer you to community or other groups, health professionals, specialist tradespeople, organisations, etc, as appropriate. GLASS provides information through The LEAD Group website - www.lead.org.au and maintains a data base including a library database. The online publications in our library database are searchable at Library Database of the Global Lead Advice & Support Service (GLASS) and questions and answers are searchable at Q&A of the Global Lead Advice & Support Service (GLASS)

Information is also available in our fact sheets and newsletters see the homepage or do a search of the website. Referral lists are at www.lead.org.au/referral_lists.html  and links to other lead-related websites are at www.lead.org.au/lk.html

For a more interactive self-help approach for obtaining information, GLASS is setting up egroups in response to needs expressed by our enquirers. Egroups are dedicated to one particular aspect of a subject; eg autism and lead. Egroup members can use one email address to send an email to all members. Members can share advice and information based on their own experience and knowledge about the particular aspect of lead. Please go to www.lead.org.au/egroups.html to read the descriptions of our current egroups and to join.

If you can’t find what you need on The LEAD Group website, or from the links provided above, please contact us by telephone, e-mail or post.

Telephone: If calling from within Australia, Freecall 1800 626 086; Overseas callers: +61 2 9716 0132 between 9am and 4:30pm weekdays Eastern Australian Time (or Eastern Australian Daylight Savings Time in Summer).

Email: Go to www.lead.org.au/cu.html and fill in the form and include your email address for a response.

Post: PO Box 161 Summer Hill NSW 2130 Australia.

Future Plans for GLASS

Development of egroups

If you want to suggest a new egroup topic, please contact us. We believe e-groups are an effective way for people to obtain pertinent information about lead, because much of the information is based on direct experience of the participants and a small dedicated group "can change the world" (Margaret Mead).

Increased web-publication

Provided funding is forthcoming, we plan to web-publish GLASS information on a new dedicated GLASS website and to include information currently only available in our database. In the meantime, printed material on particular topics will be posted out if this is the most appropriate way for us to respond to requests for information and advice. Some of the items in the following list of info pack topics are currently emailable but if funding for wages becomes available, we should be able to web-publish all items:

• Alternative treatments for lead poisoning.

• ADD (attention deficit disorder) and autism.
• Asbestos fibro painted with lead paint.
• Ceiling dust health risks and management.
• Community advocacy - setting up a group.
• Consumer products containing lead PVC mini-blinds, hair colour restorer, fishing sinkers, etc.
• Environmental and product testing (how to collect samples and order laboratory analysis) - soil, water, rainwater, paint, dust. (The LEAD Group also sells a DIY home lead assessment kit for $80.)
• Hobbies and recreational activities which pose lead hazards making fishing sinkers, car repairs, furniture restoration, lead models, lead lighting, ceramics and pottery, shooting, making ammunition.
• Lead abatement - removal and management of leaded paint, ceiling dust, soil, lead pipes & flashing.
• Lead abatement equipment - HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, air filters and respirators.
• Lead abatement guidelines and standards.
• Lead aware housekeeping and childcare.
• Lead wastes - cradle to grave management, safe disposal and recycling.
• Leaded petrol sniffing.
• Legal issues - litigation and legislation.
• Medical lead testing - of blood, teeth, urine, bone, hair, nails, human ashes.
• Motor vehicle emissions, smelting, mining and other air toxics.
• Nutrition, breast feeding, fussy eaters, vitamin and mineral supplements, pica.
• Occupations which pose lead hazards - painters, firearms instructors, radiator repairers.
• Olympics - lead use reduction policy.
• Other heavy metals - including mercury (in amalgam fillings), cadmium, arsenic, etc.
• Pets - cats, dogs, birds, rabbits.
• Pregnancy - protecting current and future pregnancies.
• Test kits - do-it-yourself lead spot test kits for paint, crystal, ceramics, PVC products, etc.
• Property purchase and renting - checking for a lead-safe house, tenants rights.
• Standards for lead in consumer products (toys, art materials) and environmental media.
• How your country can ban leaded petrol in as little as 6 weeks.

Some information is also available in these community languages:

Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Macedonian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese.

How GLASS is Funded

The Australian Department of Environment and Water Resources (DEW) provides one wage to staff GLASS, for the year ending June 2007. Donations for GLASS or for our Lead Education and Abatement Fund (LEAF) can be made via www.lead.org.au/sb.html

Achievements and Vision of GLASS

As at September 2006, GLASS has two half-time staff and is otherwise entirely run by volunteers who handle over 5,000 enquiries per annum. Since June 1995, GLASS has answered nearly 50,000 queries from 80 countries and The LEAD Group’s website has been viewed by over one third of a million people from over 188 countries. Australia is the biggest lead exporter in the world and this tiny little under-funded community group will strive to continue to provide the necessary information and support to all who need it to manage lead safely throughout the world. Please donate money, or time to help us to get grants or sponsorship and regulatory change so we have continued funding until lead poisoning is eliminated globally and the environment is protected from lead in all its uses by either bans or appropriate controls.