Key stakeholders in conjunction with the wider community have embarked on a major project called the tenby10 project, the project goal being to reduce blood lead levels in the local community, a significant environmental and health issue that impacts on both the smelter and the community of Port Pirie.
While the Port Pirie lead in blood issue has been around for many years, the importance of reducing blood lead levels has not diminished. In recognition of this, the tenby10 project key stakeholders; the Port Pirie Regional Council, the Department of Health, the Environmental Health Service, the Environmental Protection Authority and the Port Pirie Smelter have joined forces to establish key partnerships aimed at delivering initiatives to reduce lead in blood levels present in the Port Pirie Community. The project’s goal is to ensure at least 95% of children 0-4 years have a blood lead level of less than 10ug/dL by the end of 2010.
One objective for the tenby10 project is to raise awareness of the issue in both the Smelter workforce and in the wider community to enable everyone to do their part to help lower blood lead levels. What you do will make a difference.
Port Pirie is located 240 kilometres from Adelaide on the upper reaches of the Spencer Gulf, and is situated at the foot of the magnificient Southern Flinders Ranges. An attractive coastal city with all modern amenities, the diverse nature of the region affords its residents a broad range of activities and lifestyle opportunities.
The Port Pirie Smelter is the largest primary lead smelter in the world. Its 24 hour a day, 7 day a week production process also produces zinc along with precious metals such as copper, and silver. Lead dust particles escape from the Smelter by fugitive unplanned emissions. Lead dust that is created during plant processes also stays on site. As the smelter is located on the northern side of Port Pirie, in close proximity to residents, this lead dust can become windborne and enter the community when wind blows predominantly from the North. The two initial exposure pathways are via the air-borne lead, but also from the lead particles that have already settled on surfaces and then transferred from the surface or object to a person.
We can be exposed to lead in the following ways:
DUST CONTAINING LEAD - A significant source of lead can come from dust that enters the home environment via prevailing winds that blow dust containing lead from the smelter.
LEAD BASED PAINT - Although much less prevalent now, an important source of lead exposure in older homes was contact with interior or exterior surfaces that had been painted with lead-based paints. Children could be exposed to lead by eating chips that fall off the walls as the paint ages, by chewing on painted cribs, or by breathing dust when paint is sanded off walls during renovation.
HOME RENOVATING - Particularly in older homes where paint containing lead was used and where lead dust may have accumulated over a period of time in wall cavities or in ceilings.
PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH CONTAMINATED PEOPLE, CLOTHING, ITEMS AND VEHICLES - Employees and Contractors working at the Port Pirie Smelter site are at risk of taking lead particles off site on their body, via their hair, hands, clothing, boots and vehicles. As such strict personal hygiene and site work protocols are in place to ensure this “take home” lead exposure is minimised. All employees and contractors are required to shower before they leave the site, and all works clothes including boots remain on site. All vehicles leaving the site are required to pass through a vehicle wash to remove any potential lead dust entering the community.
RAIN WATER - Can be an exposure source if used for drinking. Boiling rain water does not remove lead and does not reduce contamination from lead.
Lead is also a naturally occurring metal that is found in soil and water, usually at low levels.