Lead Safe McKeesport Coalition holds first meeting
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
McKeesport officials, community stakeholders and the Allegheny County Health Department are teaming up to increase awareness about the dangers of lead in paint, dust, soil, water and various other places in their everyday lives.
The Lead Safe McKeesport Coalition held its first community stakeholder meeting last week at Di’s Cornerstone Diner, just outside Olympia Shopping Center on Long Run Road. Subjects included how to educate the community about the health risks of elevated levels of lead in children’s blood and how to educate parents in McKeesport about how to prevent their children from being exposed to lead in aging homes that may have been painted or constructed with lead-containing materials.
The creation of the McKeesport Coalition came after ACHD announced early this year that between 2015 and 2018, between 6.37% and 16.39% of McKeesport children under 6 years old tested positive for elevated levels in their blood.
ACHD also reported that the problem of elevated blood levels of lead is prevalent in other parts of the Mon Valley in places such as Glassport, Clairton, Duquesne, West Mifflin, East Pittsburgh, North Braddock and Rankin.
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