Did you know?
- In Indianapolis over 60% of the housing stock was built before 1980.
- Lead in paint for residential use was banned in 1978.
- Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint hazards.
- Lead can be found in the soil, water, or paint. Interior lead is most found in areas where moisture is most common (kitchens and bathrooms), but can also be present in the plaster and other areas.
- Homes built after 1978 can also have lead hazards via workplace hazards brought into the home or antiques.
- Indiana requires that all children 6 and under have a blood lead test.
Why it matters:
- Infants and young children absorb 4–5 times more ingested lead than adults do.
- There is no known safe blood lead level in children.
- Malnourished children are more susceptible because their bodies mistake lead for essential nutrients like calcium or iron.
- High exposure can cause lifelong health effects including kidney damage and hearing loss.
What can you do:
- Intact paint is NOT a hazard. Make sure to keep paint intact.
- Cover bare soil areas with mulch or grass
- Keep dust levels down in home
Still have questions?
LeadADVISOR is an AI-powered, conversational chatbot tool developed by the Marion County Public Health Department and hosted on the Mission Unleaded website. It helps residents access, navigate, and understand complex, property-specific lead inspection reports to make safer housing. Just enter an address to see if there is any publicly-available lead related information for the property within the past 10 years. It is available to view in an easy-to-use format. The user may also ask questions of the tool and receive relevant responses. Because of the newness of the tool, search results in LeadADVISOR do not constitute negative lead results. Only publicly-available information is accessible from the tool.