As new information becomes available about common substances, public health risks sometimes emerge. This was certainly the case with with lead-based paint in homes. Prior to the 1970s, when lead usage in products began to be monitored, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 88% of American preschool children had lead levels in the blood high enough to cause health problems. Although subsequent public awareness campaigns have drastically reduced that figure, recent data from the organization shows that there are still about half a million children from the age of 1 to 5 who have toxic levels of lead in the blood, proving that the threat is far from over.

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