Heavy metals, like arsenic, lead, mercury, and others, are all around us. They’re in the ground we walk on, in the water we drink, and in the products we use every day. The concern is high levels of most heavy metals can cause health issues. Accurately detecting them is impossible without a thorough analysis and testing. Heavy metals are odorless and colorless.

We all have heard that lead can be dangerous for people, but are you aware of the various ways that lead can also be harmful to the environment? If you own or maintain a property, you should have some idea about the amount of lead near your property and how it can have an effect on the surrounding soil, air, and water. SanAir Technologies Laboratory is known for is our accredited and comprehensive lead and metals testing that tells you exactly what you’re dealing with. Here are the ways that lead can impact the environment and why that should matter to you.

The future of environmental testing is bright, according to recent findings by several top financial news outlets. Environmental testing laboratories provide a necessary service for communities – labs like ours test water, soil, and air for possible contaminants, keeping homes and commercial spaces up to EPA standards. This industry will continue to boom as better research continually strengthens the EPA’s rules and specifications. More areas and nations around the world will continue to face tougher regulations that require more frequent and better quality environmental testing. At the end of the day, environmental testing can help prevent a great many health concerns and deaths. 

Since the disaster in Flint, Michigan came to light in 2014, state governments all around the U.S. have expanded water quality testing programs and doubled down on their efforts to test the water quality in schools, government buildings, and older water pipes. In 2019, an investigative report found that a large number of elementary schools have elevated levels of lead. Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal that has serious consequences – headaches, stomach pains, high blood pressure, miscarriages, reduced sperm count/infertility, and the loss of developmental skills in children.

Lead contamination and poisoning used to be extremely common, considering lead was frequently used in household items, cosmetics, and even wine. Although we know better now, after decades of studies and tests done by doctors and scientists, laws all over the world have prevented lead from being used in a way that’s harmful to human health. However, lead contamination still happens frequently enough that the CDC and EPA consistently release warnings. You may already be aware that old paint may contain lead, but there are a variety of unexpected lead sources that can lead to contamination and require professional testing to ensure safety.