Cleveland Dept. of Health aims to lower lead levels

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - After the Cleveland Department of Public Health released its report on high lead counts in various homes throughout Cuyahoga County, the Department is aiming to make a change.

In the report, children in Cleveland are shown to be at a substantially higher risk for lead poisoning in comparison to other major cities including Detroit and Toledo. This problem is one that Pediatrician Kristin Guilonard says is just part of living in towns with older homes.

“Any time the paint is not kept up, and it peels off– little kids put stuff in their mouths,” Guilonard said. “Babies, that’s how they learn they’re constantly mouthing things, and so then that’s how it happens.”

Monday morning, City Hall was filled with various organizations sharing their ideas toward battling the high lead levels.

While the Cleveland Department of Public Health proposed a new process to provide more comprehensive risk assessments to rental units in need of testing.

“It is scary because long term, lead has effects on IQ, on intellect, on development, and so we really want to get those down as soon as possible,” Guilonard said.