There’s Something in the Water
The legacy of lead in America still lives on classroom walls and under kitchen sinks.
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Episode Notes
When Christopher Werth saw some paint chips falling off a radiator in his daughter’s New York City classroom, he picked one up and sent it to get tested. The results spurred him to launch a larger investigation into lead exposure in New York City classrooms.
Just across the river in Newark, New Jersey, another city is dealing with its own lead troubles. Elevated levels of the metal have been found in the city’s drinking water.
What do these two cases tell us about the legacy of lead in America? And what can be done about it?
Guest: Christopher Werth, senior editor at WNYC
Podcast production by Mary Wilson and Jayson De Leon.