Getting Lead Out

I was very pleased to see your editorial (March 6), “Getting the Lead Out.”

My colleague, Alderman Danny Davis, and I were the original sponsors of the Chicago lead ban. This issue united what has been referred to as a deeply divided City Council. The ban, which was enacted last September, has subsequently been adopted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as part of its state implementation plan of enforcement of the federal Clean Air Act. In January of this year, Chicago enacted a 7-cent tax on leaded gasoline, which has the effect of eliminating the marketing incentive (unleaded costs only about 1 cent more to produce) to buy leaded gasoline.

Since the passage of the Chicago tax increase there have been two significant developments of a corroborative nature: (1) The Atlanta-based National Center for Disease Control has recommended that all U.S. children be screened for lead damage and has again lowered the threshold number for its early warning and detection; and (2) medical research has demonstrated a direct correlation between lead in the atmosphere, of which 90% comes from tailpipe emissions, and an increase in high blood pressure to which you alluded.

While everyone--doctors, public health officials, environmental activists, fiscal planners and legislators--can hail the federal EPA’s action, much remains to be done. We have to educate the public about this danger; convince people not to use leaded gasoline; restore contaminated playground soil; get lead from lead solder out of our drinking water. In today’s world vigilance is the key to a healthy tomorrow.

JOSEPH S. KOTLARZ

Alderman, 35th Ward

Chicago