Lead poisoning epidemics

Lead poisoning epidemics refer to instances of mass lead poisoning, and usually occur unintentionally in low income countries. Lead recycling is a common cause of a poisoning epidemic, and it is commonplace and sometimes the only means of providing sustenance in poorer countries. The lack of immediate and obvious health effects often result in people taking excessive risks and few precautions when handling lead. These events can also cause disproportionate childhood fatalities, when levels of toxins become fatal in lower concentrations in children compared with adults.

Automobile batteries being recycled at Thiaroye Sur Mer. Site where 18 children died of lead poisoning in 2008.

Re epidemic-level lead poisonings through history til 2020, see also:

Lead poisoning (a separate article)

List of controversies involving The New York Times: New York City’s hushed-up lead poisoning epidemic of 1848 to 1992

Lead contamination in Washington, D.C., drinking water

Flint water crisis

Notable sub-epidemic regional lead poisonings from industrial activity

This list does not include episodes of fewer that 100 people affected, nor does it include individual lead paint poisoning cases, nor those, even on the epidemic scale, caused by eating contaminated food or water. The cases below are discrete events of mass lead poisonings.

Large Scale Lead Poisoning Events

Name of Event	Year	Region	Country	City	# Tested high*	# deaths	Source of Lead Exposure	References	Comments
Dong Mai	2015	SE Asia	Vietnam	Dong Mai	102	0	Auto Battery Recycling	ref[1]	ongoing
El Paso/Juarez	1974	N.Amer	USA/Mexico	El Paso, Texas	391	0	Lead Smelter	ref[2]	plant closed
Fiengxiang	2009	Asia	China	Shanxi	615	0	Lead Smelter	ref[3]	comment
Hunan	2008	Asia	China	Hunan	1354	0	Manganese Factory	ref[4]	comment
Jiyuan	?	Asia	China	Jiyuan	1000	0	Lead Smelter	ref[5]	99.7% of children poisoned
Doe Run	2004	S.Amer	Peru	La Oroya	100's	0	Lead Smelter	ref[6]	plant closed
Michoacan	2009?	C.Amer	Mexico	Michoacan	311	0	Lead glazed Pottery	ref[7]	ongoing
Santo Amaro	1985	S.Amer	Brazil	Bahia	555	0	Lead Smelter	ref[8]	comment
Thiaroye Sur Mer	2008	Africa	Senegal	Dakar	150+	18	Auto Battery Recycling	ref[9]	closed
Torreon	2000	C.Amer	Mexico	Torreon	11181	0	Lead Smelter	ref[10]	comment
Zamfara	2010	Africa	Nigeria	Zamfara	1000+	163-400	Lead mining / ASGM	ref[11]	ongoing
Kabwe	2013	Africa	Zambia	Kabwe	1000+	0	Lead mining and smelter	ref[12][13]	comment

• number tested high is defined as a blood lead level greater than or equal to 10 micrograms per deciliter whole blood (ug/dl)

See also

• Lead poisoning (a separate article, detailing epidemics e.g. Rome{pipes & vessels}, Europe{wine & rum), & 20th C {gasoline, water pipes, etc} )
• List of controversies involving The New York Times: New York City’s hushed-up lead poisoning epidemic of 1848 to 1992
• List of man-made mass chronic poisoning incidents
• Lead contamination in Washington, D.C. drinking water
• Flint water crisis
• 2009 Chinese lead poisoning scandal
• Exide lead contamination from battery recycling in the U.S.
• Lead contamination in Oakland

References

1. Daniell, William E.; Tung, Lo Van; Wallace, Ryan M.; Havens, Deborah J.; Karr, Catherine J.; Diep, Nguyen Bich; Croteau, Gerry A.; Beaudet, Nancy J.; Bao, Nguyen Duy (2015-10-26). "Childhood Lead Exposure from Battery Recycling in Vietnam". BioMed Research International. 2015: 193715. doi:10.1155/2015/193715. PMC 4637436. PMID 26587532.
2. Ordóñez, Blanca Raquel; Romero, Lidia Ruiz; Mora, Refugio (2003). "Investigación epidemiológica sobre niveles de plomo en la población infantil y en el medio ambiente domiciliario de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, en relación con una fundición de El Paso, Texas". Salud Pública de México. 45: 281–295. doi:10.1590/S0036-36342003000800015. ISSN 0036-3634.
3. Watts, Jonathan; Cui, Zheng (2009-08-17). "Chinese villagers storm factory blamed for lead poisoning of 600 children". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
4. Watts, Jonathan; correspondent, Asia environment (2009-08-20). "1,300 Chinese children near smelter suffer lead poisoning". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
5. "China to move residents from lead smelter base-report". Reuters. 2009-10-19. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
6. Fraser, Barbara (2009-07-01). "La Oroya's Legacy of Lead". Environmental Science & Technology. 43 (15): 5555–5557. doi:10.1021/es901734g.
7. Fernandez, G. O.; Martinez, R. R.; Fortoul, T. I.; Palazuelos, E. (1997-02-01). "High blood lead levels in ceramic folk art workers in Michoacan, Mexico". Archives of Environmental Health. 52 (1): 51–55. doi:10.1080/00039899709603800. ISSN 0003-9896. PMID 9039858.
8. Lalor, G. C.; Vutchkov, M. K.; Bryan, S. T.; Christie, C. D. C.; Donaldson, D.; Young, J.; Chambers, S. (2006-12-01). "Acute lead poisoning associated with backyard lead smelting in Jamaica". The West Indian Medical Journal. 55 (6): 394–398. doi:10.1590/s0043-31442006000600005. ISSN 0043-3144. PMID 17691233.
9. Jones, Donald E.; Diop, Assane; Block, Meredith; Smith-Jones, Alexander; Smith-Jones, Andrea (2011). "Assessment and Remediation of Lead Contamination in Senegal". Journal of Health and Pollution. 1 (2): 37–47. doi:10.5696/2156-9614.1.2.37.
10. US Centers for Disease Control (203). "Blood Lead Levels and Risk Factors for Lead Poisoning Among Children in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico" (PDF). United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Environmental Health, Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch/Health Studies Branch.
11. "WHO | Nigeria: mass lead poisoning from mining activities, Zamfara State". www.who.int. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
12. Yabe, John; Nakayama, Shouta M. M.; Ikenaka, Yoshinori; Yohannes, Yared B.; Bortey-Sam, Nesta; Oroszlany, Balazs; Muzandu, Kaampwe; Choongo, Kennedy; Kabalo, Abel Nketani (2015-01-01). "Lead poisoning in children from townships in the vicinity of a lead–zinc mine in Kabwe, Zambia". Chemosphere. 119: 941–947. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.09.028. hdl:2115/58817. PMID 25303652.
13. "Notes from the Field: Severe Environmental Contamination and Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Children — Zambia, 2014". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2016-02-19.