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Hazardous Consumer Products: Information for Public Health Professionals

Lead exposures associated with the use of lead-containing consumer products is a growing public health concern in the U.S. and abroad. These products are often manufactured in low- and middle-income countries and can be hand carried into the U.S. or imported from countries of origin.

The NYC Health Department has developed a comprehensive approach to identify and reduce exposures to lead and other hazards in consumer products that incorporates surveillance, enforcement, risk communication, and education activities. Through this approach the Health Department has removed tens of thousands of hazardous consumer products from the marketplace. The Health Department also helped guide risk communication strategies to raise awareness and regulatory activities to eliminate the availability of hazardous consumer products in NYC and abroad.

Surveillance Data

The NYC Health Department routinely tests consumer products collected during investigations of poisonings and store surveys for lead and other heavy metals. The product-related data are available at NYC Open Data:

Information from this database, combined with blood lead surveillance data, has identified a variety of lead containing consumer products from around the world, linked with elevated blood lead levels in NYC children and adults. Certain immigrant communities, including NYC’s South Asian and Mexican communities are found to be at an increased risk for lead exposures associated with use of specific products.

Pilot Project: Multijurisdictional Repository of Lead-Containing Consumer Products

Many jurisdictions across the U.S. investigate lead exposures associated with use of lead containing consumer products. However, the data from these investigations are not always publicly accessible. A publicly accessible national repository of consumer products lead surveillance data would motivate data-driven solutions to prompt regulatory action in the U.S. and abroad.

The NYC Health Department is launching a pilot project to gather consumer product lead surveillance data from participating jurisdictions across the U.S. The multijurisdictional dataset will help to:

  • Understand the extent of product-lead related lead exposures across the U.S.
  • Identify lead containing consumer products from around the world
  • Guide risk communication and regulatory activities
  • Provide evidence of lead exposures associated with lead containing consumer products, occurring across the U.S., to guide mitigation-focused intervention strategies

Variables Tracked in the Multi-jurisdictional Repository

These variables will be tracked in the repository with definitions following:

  • Jurisdiction: Jurisdiction reporting the data
  • Sample ID: Sample ID used by jurisdiction
  • Sample Collection Date: Date when sample was collected (MM/DD/YYYY)
  • Investigation Type: Case or survey
  • Product Type: Type of consumer product tested (such as spice or health remedy
  • Product/Brand Name: Name of product as listed on packaging or called by case or reported during investigation
  • Metal: Analyte sample was tested for
  • Concentration: Amount of metal found in the sample
  • Units: Unit of measurement (such as ppm, mg/kg, ug/g, mg/cm2)
  • Analysis Type: How sample was analyzed (XRF, Lab, or Qualitative)
  • Purchase Country: Country where product was purchased or obtained as informed by case investigation or survey
  • Made in Country (if available): Country where product was made or manufactured as listed on product packaging
  • Manufacturer: Name of manufacturer as listed on product packaging

Additional Resources

More Information