Study finds fewer children with elevated blood lead levels in Butte

Butte, Montana – According to research that was given to the community last week, the number of kids in Butte who have high blood lead levels has decreased by more than 25% over the past 20 years.

The results were given to the Butte Citizen’s Technical Environmental Committee at a meeting in 2020 when they were assessing the success of the neighborhood’s Home Metals Abatement Program. As a part of an investigation into the potential health concerns associated with exposure to previous mining, the study measured the blood lead levels of thousands of locals.

The criterion was decreased from the one used in the study’s 2021 measurement by the Centers for Disease Control, which classifies elevated blood levels as being in the top 2.5% of previous national norms. According to the CDC, there is no known acceptable blood lead level for children.

Children with increased blood lead levels are more common in Butte than in the rest of the country. Older homes with lead paint were named as the most common lingering risk factor by the study’s authors.

Testing is currently in its third phase, which is expected to be finished in 2024.