Lead: it's everywhere

Partial listing of the sources of lead contamination in soil, dust, sediment, water, air and living creatures by use:

Paint

• Paint on old interior or exterior walls, floors, ceilings, boats, old furniture, toys, playground equip­ment, pencils, and on modern steel structures such as bridges and tanks, vehicles, farm machinery, whitegoods, etc.

Lead compounds in paint include:

• white lead (lead carbonate) as the prime white pigment

lead compounds as anti­corrosive pigments:

• - red lead (60% lead in dry film)
• - universal pink primer (red lead + whitelead)
• - orange lead

lead compounds as coloured pigments:

• - lead chromate pigment (yellow): 56 % lead
• - lemon chrome pigment (lead chromate + lead sulphate)
• - scarlet chrome pigment (lead chromate + lead molybdate)
• - orange chrome pigment
• - metallic lead pigment

lead compounds as driers: - litharge paint drier

• - lead naphthenate paint drier

Transport applications

• octane enhancer for automotive fuels
• valve lubricant for pre-1986 automotive valves
•  lead-acid batteries for generators and automotive use
•  train brakes
• aviation fuel for spark ignition     engines
• cable sheathing on marine vessel

Building materials

• sheet lead flashings
• dampcourses
• old gas and water pipes
• lead solder for plumbing
• lead in bronze or brass alloys for plumbing valves or fixtures
• cable sheathing for telephone and power cables
• red lead as a sealant on theback of old lino
• sound insulation
• wrought iron
• leadlight
• putty
• caulking

lead compounds as pigments, catalysts, lubricants and heat stabilisers III plastic resins, eg PVC piping

• pipe fitting and collapsible tubing
• earthquake dampening materials

Other uses

• lead arsenate (previously used as an agricultural insecticide)
• some foil tops covering the corks of wine bottles
• canned food seals (excluding baby food)
• lead crystal
• old jewellery
• dry cleaning
• old crockery
• old cutlery
• old metal toothpaste tubes
• lead glazed pottery
• sheet lead for radiation shielding
• Lead oxide in glass making and leaded glass for radiation shielding such as in TV tubes
• fresh fruit and vegetables (natural lead levels are especially high in spinach and silver beet)
• light bulbs
• fishing sinkers
• ammunition
• lead shot
• jockeys' and divers' weights
• lead solder in circuit boards in electronic goods

• electronic capacitors and superconductors as a component of concrete

• typesetting

• packaging inks and some coloured inks in newspapers

• asphalt

• lead for lining tanks and process vessels

• nuclear waste containment receptacles

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