Dr. Herbert Needleman, a resident of Pittsburgh, died on July 18 2017. He was 89. You can read his obituary at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/science/herbert-needleman-dead-lead-poisoning-in-children.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront
Dr. Needleman’s research showed that even low levels of lead in our environment will significantly lower the I.Q. test results of children. His findings eventually forced government agencies to outlaw the use of lead in gasoline and paint.
Manufacturers strongly resisted public pressure to remove lead from commercial products.
Anyone monitoring the current pesticides vs. bees debate will be familiar with some of the arguments used over the years by the pro-lead lobby. These included:
- Anyone who uses leaded gasoline cannot suggest that lead is polluting our environment as they are hypocrites and hypocrites forfeit their right to voice opinions.
- Yes, large doses of lead can be lethal, but sub-lethal doses are harmless.
- The science is uncertain so lead should be considered safe until proven otherwise.
- It ain’t the lead that is harmful, it’s the gasoline.
- Lead must be shown to cause “actual harm” not just “significant risk”.
- Any and all alternatives for lead would be even more toxic.
- Lab studies indicating sub lethal levels of lead may harm human health were conducted by biased researchers and used bad methodology. Such researchers are an iniquitous bunch, trust me.
- Some of our company’s research about the effects of lead is proprietary.
- You’re biased but I’m not.
- Laboratory test results must obviously not be extrapolated to daily life since “Ground Truthing” observations indicate all kids are healthy and bright.
- Look, I’ll wash my hands with gasoline. Would I do that if it was dangerous?
Today’s pesticides appear to be much less persistent in our environment than lead was. However, our experience with lead shows that we should not trust commercial interests to err on the side of caution with environmental safety.
I am grateful for individuals like Dr. Needleman who scientifically proved that lead is hazardous, despite all the bafflegab and diversionary tactics employed by a willing band of industry apologists. Ted
From, https://www.thenation.com/article/secret-history-lead/
“ A 1985 EPA study estimated that as many as 5,000 Americans died annually from lead-related heart disease prior to the country’s lead phaseout. According to a 1988 report to Congress on childhood lead poisoning in America by the government’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, one can estimate that the blood-lead levels of up to 2 million children were reduced every year to below toxic levels between 1970 and 1987 as leaded gasoline use was reduced. From that report and elsewhere, one can conservatively estimate that a total of about 68 million young children had toxic exposures to lead from gasoline from 1927 to 1987.”
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