The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has made the disturbing discovery that lead levels in the blood of one in three children worldwide are alarmingly high, meaning that the amount of lead in the blood of 800 million children worldwide is 5. Micrograms per deciliter or more have been observed.
This shows that millions of children's lives could be seriously endangered by such high levels of lead pollution around the world. Lead pollution is very harmful mentally and physically and its effects cannot be minimized later.
A joint survey by UNICEF and an environmental group, PureWorth, in several countries has revealed that the amount of lead in the blood is five micrograms per deciliter much higher than the safe scale. This condition can damage children's brains, nervous system, heart and liver, some of which cannot be repaired.
Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called for an "immediate response" to this amount of lead in children. Recycling of old batteries and lead kilns around the world, including in Pakistan, are playing a key role in spreading the toxic metal.
The report, released on Thursday, said it showed that so many children, especially children, were becoming victims of "dangerous" lead. Young children around the world, including in Pakistan, work to open and re-use batteries. On the other hand, electronic waste is also becoming a major cause of its spread. But lead-acid batteries play a role in up to 85%.
According to the report, at first there are no signs of abnormal amount of lead in the blood but gradually it starts destroying the brain, nerves and other body parts.
