Detroit to Halt Some Demolitions Over Lead Concerns

Demolition crews normally are busy May through September, but in these five ZIP codes, they will hold off razing homes until Oct. 1 because of the potential effect the release of lead-containing dust could have on young children living nearby, city officials said.

The ZIP codes are 48206, 48214, 48202, 48204 and 48213. The percentages of kids testing positive for lead poisoning in those areas range from 22.3 percent in 48206 to 13.6 percent in 48213, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

“Even one lead poisoned child is one too many,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, director of the Detroit Health Department, told The Detroit News. “We have to try something new. If there is a potential association, let’s not do it at all.”

Read the full article in The Detroit News.