Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
The Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is a resource to help address the risk of lead poisoning in young children, pregnant women, and adults who work or have hobbies that involve lead.
The 2023 Lead Surveillance Document is Now Available!
The 2023 Lead Surveillance Document is Now Available!
The 2023 Lead Poisoning in NH: What the Data Tells Us surveillance report is now available to the public. Written in an easy to understand, 'infographic' style format, this year's report summarizes the number of young NH children poisoned in 2023, along with information on blood lead level testing rates, percentage of older housing by community, and strategies to increase lead safe housing. Download your copy today!
More historical lead surveillance data is available on the DHHS Data Portal by town, county, and public health region.
There can be more than one way a child can come across lead in their home. In NH, children are almost always poisoned by lead that is found in dust from lead paint in older homes. In NH, more than half of our homes were built before 1978. This is over 284,000 standalone homes or apartment units across our state.
In 1978, lead was banned by the US government in house paint. In some communities the percentage of homes built before 1978 is higher than 70%. Across NH, more than 32,250 young children are living in these older homes.
Young kids, especially those under six years old, are sitting, crawling, and playing on the floor in areas of the home where lead dust can be found. It is normal for a child to place objects they find on the floor in their mouth and these objects can have an invisible layer of lead dust on them. The area of the yard where young kids play can have soil with lead in it.
In 2023, more than 1,100 young NH kids were poisoned by lead. All under the age of six, these kids had 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) or higher of lead in their bloodstream. This level of lead is high enough to harm their ability to think, learn, and focus. For these children, we recommend that families find out where the child came in contact with lead and remove the lead source from the home.
We are here to help families, health care providers, contractors, health and code officials, and property owners understand old housing and the risk of lead poisoning. Our staff can help with the following:
- Nursing Staff - helping connect families of children with elevated levels of lead in their blood to the services they need so these kids can have a positive outcome.
- Environmental Team - perform inspections of rental properties where children live to help families and property owners understand where that child came in contact with lead.
- Licensing Team - making sure NH has a qualified work force by licensing and certifying lead abatement contractors, supervisors, workers, risk assessors, inspectors, and trainers.
- Professional and Public Education - providing training, both in person or virtual, to medical providers, health and code officials, families, and contractors on the dangers of lead in old housing and the workplace.
- Data Reporting - publishing statewide, regional, and local data that helps people understand the risk of childhood and adult lead poisoning.
Healthy Homes & Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HHLPPP)
For more information call 1-800-897-LEAD (5323) within New Hampshire or at 603-271-4507.
