Residents, health advocates urge Lansdale to adopt ‘lead‑safe’ rules after presentation to council

At its Aug. 20 business meeting, Lansdale Borough Council heard from residents and public‑health advocates urging the borough to consider a “lead‑safe” ordinance requiring certification of rental properties and other at‑risk buildings.

Carolyn McGritty Durstein, a Lansdale resident, introduced the presenters and said they sought borough action to reduce childhood lead exposure. Rosemarie Holt, health policy consultant for Children First and the Lead Free Promise Project, told council that lead exposure remains a persistent public‑health problem and described how local testing and housing stock put Lansdale children at risk.

Holt said a blood lead reference level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter is used for identifying children with elevated results. She said Pennsylvania records about 11,500 children testing positive…