Moms speak out to protect all kids from lead

The broken hearts of two brave mothers took center stage this week at City Council. In a pivotal hearing that would determine whether vital improvements to Philadelphia’s lead laws would face a council-wide vote, the haunting consequences of inaction were made clear to all.

Last year, when they were two, Erica Miller’s twins were found to have blood lead levels more than twice the amount of the minimum level for poisoning. Her heart sank, she said, because her older son, now 16, was poisoned as well. 

She described developmental delays in her twins and how she fears the problems connected to lead poisoning her older son endured and continues to endure, including learning impairment and attention issues, will be the same for them. 

“I won’t know my children’s full potential because at the end of the day they were lead poisoned,” said Erica Miller, who noted that while it was routine to test children for lead, it is not routine for the Philadelphia Housing Authority to test their properties. The twins were poisoned in a PHA unit on 5th Street. 

[WATCH NBC10’s investigative report on lead poisoning and this week’s hearing]

When Claire McKenney’s son was just 9-months, her pediatrician told her he was poisoned. Subsequent testing of the South Philly rental property they were leasing at the time confirmed it was the source of toxic lead.

“Our world came crashing down around us,” she told Council’s Health Committee. “It is a terrible, terrible feeling to know that your child’s potential has been permanently cut short by an unsafe environment you’ve unknowingly placed them in.” 

When she disclosed that her son tested at 7 times the poisoning threshold, audible gasps echoed throughout Council chambers.  

Pushing through their own heartaches, both moms implored the Committee members to move quickly to protect the thousands of innocent children poisoned in Philadelphia every year.

Shortly after their respective testimonies, the Committee recorded a unanimous vote to move the legislation that would expand lead-safe certification requirements to all rental units in the city, as well as establish for the first time testing requirements for all children.

[READ THE INQUIRER’S EDITORIAL “Bills Will Keep Lead From Robbing Children’s Potential”]    

Philadelphia is that much closer to an effective lead law, like ones in Rochester and Baltimore. Experts from both cities responded to unfounded fears of resulting rent hikes or a loss of affordable rental units with facts. Ten years after it modernized their lead law, Rochester found the costs of lead hazard removal from homes were minimal and rental units did not leave the market. In 1993, Baltimore went from having the highest per capita lead levels in 1993 to eliminating 99% of lead poisoning after they took similar lead testing action.

Thank you to all 22 speakers who answered PCCY’s call to testify at this week’s hearing, especially Erica and Claire whose courage inspired us all.

With the bill for a strong and effective lead law, we are just 4 Council member votes away from preventing the vast majority of childhood lead poisoning in Philadelphia.

In the weeks ahead, the Lead Free Philly Coalition will be meeting with members of Council to share the best information available to ensure they do right by our children. If you believe in a strong lead law, won’t you consider joining us in letting our elected officials know concerned Philadelphians are counting on them?  Contact PCCY’s Health Policy Director Colleen McCauley today!