General
Port Pirie lead levels in two-year-olds hit 10-year high after Nyrstar’s EPA licence breach
Lead levels in two-year-olds have hit a 10-year high in the South Australian city of Port Pirie, according to the state’s health department.
Key points:
- SA Health says Port Pirie’s blood lead figures are “disappointing” but “not unexpected”
- Smelter owner Nyrstar says it is spending tens of millions of dollars in a bid to address the problem
- Nyrstar was penalised by the EPA last year for breaching its licence after vowing to halve lead emissions
Measuring levels in the blood of children of that age is considered to be the most accurate way to gauge lead exposure in the general population.
Last year the average in two-year-olds reached a high of 7.3 micrograms per decilitre of blood — two micrograms higher than the lowest yearly average in…
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