Tougher legislation to safeguard against environmental lead exposure
Source: Tasmania. Director of Public Health
" More stringent guidelines to monitor and protect Tasmanians from environmental exposure to lead have come into effect. The Director of Public Health, Dr Roscoe Taylor, said the guidelines, issued under the Public Health Act, significantly reduce the level at which lead in blood becomes notifiable to health authorities. “Tasmanians also should be aware of measures they should take to avoid environmental exposure to lead. These include being careful when renovating older homes, briefly flushing cold water taps before drinking, and never drinking directly from external or hot water taps.” The changes mean that blood-lead levels will need to be notified when they are recorded at 10 micrograms per decilitre, rather than the 15 micrograms per decilitre which has applied until now."