EPA Funds Grants for Lead Poisoning Prevention Projects in Two Ohio C...( CHICAGO Feb. 22 -- The Cleveland...),Health

CHICAGO, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cleveland Department of Health and Cincinnati Accountability and Credibility Together (ACT) have been awarded grants to fund community lead poisoning prevention projects. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5's grant program is part of a national goal to eliminate childhood lead poisoning as a major public health concern by 2010.

The Cleveland Department of Health received $99,990 to train childcare center staff to collect blood samples, educate parents and caregivers in urban areas about lead hazard control programs for home repair. ACT received $85,007 to provide outreach and education for tenants and homeowners in proper inspection and maintenance of lead-contaminated housing and increase screening of children to age six.

The Ohio projects are among 13 in the six-state region that received more than $1 million in lead grant money last year. More than 60 proposals were received from groups in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control there were 13.5 million children in the U.S. in 1978 with elevated blood lead levels. By 2002, that number had dropped to 310,000.

While children in the U.S. can be exposed to lead from a variety of sources, their primary source of lead exposure is lead-based paint, including the dust and paint chips from deteriorating paint or from improperly conducted renovation work involving the paint.

Additional information on these and other grants can be found at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/grantmap.htm.