Lead in soil is a lesser-known but equally critical cause of  lead poisoning in children.  Lead has made its way into the soil around some homes through two routes:  paint and environmental emissions.  Deteriorating exterior lead-based paint can fall off of a house if the paint is chipping, peeling severely or from friction surfaces such as windows.  If exterior repainting is done improperly,  lead-based paint can also fall into soil if the paint is scraped or sanded off of  the house during prep work.   That's why using lead-safe painting practices and proper containment methods is vital.  Old homes which have had their exteriors painted repeatedly over time often have high levels of  lead in the soil around the perimeter of the home.

Some lead in soil comes from the period before lead in gasoline was banned.   During this period,  lead came out of cars in the exhaust and would settle into the soil close to highways and major cross streets.

Homes located in industrial areas sometimes have lead in the soil from industrial emissions.

Children love to play outside, and many like to play in the dirt.  When kids play in the dirt, they inevitably get their hands and toys dirty.  If  hands or toys with lead-contaminated soil on them make their way into a child's mouth, then the child can be exposed.  This can easily happen through normal hand to mouth behavior.   It's important to wash children's hands frequently, especially before eating.   Toys should also be washed periodically.

Soil can be tested by sending a sample to a laboratory or by hiring a certified professional.  According to Cal-EPA, lead levels that are equal to or above 400 ppm in bare soil are considered hazardous for children.  Lead levels that are equal to or above 1000 PPM are considered hazardous for adults.

If  your soil has lead or if you're just not sure, the most common approach to soil is to create a barrier between the soil and your child. There are a number of ways to create these kinds of barriers.  Some of   these include using grass, tanbark or concrete.  These are just a few of the lead hazard reduction strategies for soil.

Select the following link for additional information on lead-safe gardening tips: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2543.html