Plastic Mini-Blinds May Contain Lead

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has issued a warning to parents regarding dangerous levels of lead discovered in the pigment of some types of plastic mini-blinds. The blinds should be kept out of the reach of young children and away from food preparation areas, DEQ officials said.

The alert was issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services after the mini-blinds were identified as the apparent source of lead poisoning in an Arizona child.

Children are especially vulnerable because they have a higher rate of mineral turnover in bone than adults, and can absorb up to 50 per cent of the lead they ingest, said DEQ Secretary Dale Givens. Also, very young children tend to mouth and chew their hands, toys and other objects, thus ingesting lead dust.

Lead poisoning can occur gradually and symptoms may be absent. Lead affects practically every system of the body, and long term exposure to small amounts of lead can cause learning disabilities, growth interference, permanent hearing and visual impairment and damage to the brain and nervous system.

The affected blinds have one-inch wide curved slats, and were sold in a wide range of colors from off-white to black. All problem blinds found so far were labeled as imported or contained no information regarding the manufacturer or country of production. The blinds were sold for at least several years at various outlets, including national chain department and discount stores. Parents can test their mini-blinds for lead with a test kit sold at local hardware and discount stores and home supply outlets.

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