SOLVING POLLUTION IN Indonesia

LEAD 101 : EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LEAD

   Lead exposure is a significant environmental health threat to children in Indonesia. It is estimated that around around 7.89 million (IHME, 2021) Indonesian children have blood lead levels (BLLs) above 5 µg/dL, a level which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) requires exposure source identification and appropriate interventions.

   Lead exposure has a variety of severe and even fatal impacts, affecting nearly every organ and system in the body. The severity of these effects depends on the level and duration of exposure, with children being particularly vulnerable due to their developing bodies and nervous systems.

   According to WHO, there is no known safe level of lead exposure. Even relatively low levels of lead exposure have been shown to damage children’s health and impair their cognitive development.

But what is lead, where could we find it, how are we exposed to it, and why is it so dangerous?

TIMBAL101 : SEMUA YANG KAMU PERLU TAHU TENTANG TIMBAL

   Paparan timbal merupakan ancaman kesehatan yang serius bagi anak-anak di Indonesia. Diperkirakan sekitar 7,89 juta anak (IHME, 2021) di negara ini memiliki kadar timbal darah (KTD) lebih dari 5 mikrogram per desiliter (µg/dL), suatu tingkat yang menurut Badan Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) memerlukan adanya upaya identifikasi sumber paparan dan intervensi yang tepat.

   Paparan timbal menimbulkan berbagai dampak buruk dan bahkan fatal, mempengaruhi hampir setiap organ dan sistem dalam tubuh. Tingkat keparahan dampak ini tergantung pada tingkat dan durasi paparan. Anak-anak menjadi kelompok yang sangat rentan terhadap paparan ini karena tubuh dan sistem saraf mereka yang masih berkembang.

   Menurut WHO, tidak ada kadar timbal darah yang aman. Bahkan tingkat paparan timbal yang relatif rendah bisa menyerang kesehatan anak-anak dan merusak perkembangan kognitif mereka.

Lalu, apa itu timbal, di mana kita bisa menemukannya, bagaimana kita bisa terpapar, dan kenapa timbal begitu berbahaya?

Assisting the government with lead exposure crisis response

In Central Java, home-based lead-acid battery recycling without designated disposal sites left children playing in village slag piles and 88 per cent of people tested with elevated blood lead levels. In 2015, Pure Earth began identifying contaminated sites and their risks. In 2018, the first cleanup was undertaken in a village school yard and further government remediation plans are underway.