Photo by James Short.
Measure promotes testing, education and prevention as borough weighs broader action on lead hazards
Lansdale Borough Council has taken a first formal step toward addressing lead exposure in the community, unanimously adopting a resolution aimed at increasing awareness, testing and prevention efforts.
Approved at the March 18 council business session, the resolution focuses on education and outreach rather than enforcement, encouraging residents, landlords and contractors to take proactive steps to reduce the risk of lead poisoning — particularly in older homes where hazards are more likely to exist.
Council’s action comes as local officials continue to grapple with the scope of lead exposure in the borough, where much of the housing stock predates 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use.
Under the resolution, the borough will support a public awareness campaign highlighting the dangers of lead exposure and the importance of testing and remediation. Property owners — especially those with older homes — are “strongly urged” to have their properties tested for lead in paint, dust, soil and water by qualified professionals.
The measure also encourages contractors and homeowners to follow federal lead-safe renovation standards when working in older properties, and calls for closer coordination with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health to connect residents with testing resources, financial assistance programs and health screenings.
Borough staff are authorized to distribute educational materials through the website, social media and community partnerships, including schools and neighborhood groups, as part of a broader outreach effort.
While the resolution stops short of creating new requirements, it signals growing momentum behind the issue in Lansdale.
That momentum has been fueled in part by residents like Dr. Karalyn Derstine, who shared her family’s experience with lead exposure during a council meeting last fall.
“My child is living with lifelong consequences of a neurotoxin because of $52 that I didn’t know I should have spent,” Derstine told council, describing how lead dust from deteriorating paint in her home led to developmental impacts for her young child.
Advocates have pointed to troubling local data as well. Health officials say dozens of children in Lansdale have tested positive for elevated lead levels in recent years, with testing rates remaining relatively low — meaning the true scope of the issue may be higher.
“This is a hidden issue in our communities,” said Rosemarie Halt, a health policy consultant who has worked with local advocates. “These numbers would be much, much higher if every child was tested.”
The newly adopted resolution emphasizes prevention as the most effective tool, highlighting that even low levels of exposure can cause irreversible neurological and developmental harm, particularly in young children and pregnant women.
It also reflects a broader strategy: build awareness first, then potentially pursue stronger policy measures.
In recent months, advocates have urged Lansdale to consider a formal lead-safe ordinance similar to those adopted in municipalities such as Norristown and Yeadon, which require inspections and certification for certain properties.
For now, borough officials are focusing on education, outreach and voluntary action.
For families like Derstine’s, the hope is that increased awareness will prevent others from facing the same outcome.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” she said. “And in this case, there is no cure.”
