I want to give you a basis of lead and the problems and lead into why I was serious to develop a replacement, which happened to end with a key ingredient being a landfill steel product.

Although (the ancient) Romans were aware that lead could cause serious problems, including madness and death, they were extremely fond of its uses. Reasoning that limiting the exposure of the ruling classes would limit their risk; jobs like mining and smelting lead were reserved for slaves. What the upper class did not realize was that everyday low-level exposure to lead gave them chronic lead poisoning, rather than the acute form prevalent among the lowest classes. Many modern scholars think that the result was the slow poisoning of this great empire. Lead contained in the food and wine ingested by the Roman elite likely contributed to the epidemics of gout and sterility among males, and the high rate of infertility and stillbirths among the women. The degenerate emperors that followed Caligula and Nero are conspicuous examples of the mental incompetence that was probably another result of chronic lead poisoning (Lewis, 1985). A few references to lead’s harmful effects were recorded by the ancient Greek and later Roman physicians. There are written accounts of lead toxicity in Egyptian papyrus scrolls, which indicate that lead compounds were often used for homicidal purposes (Hernberg, 2000).  

This is an excerpt from a government agency from 1988.

Lead poisoning remains the most common and socially devastating environmental disease of young children.  Millions of U.S. children from all geographic areas and socioeconomic strata have blood lead levels high enough to be associated with adverse health effects.  Poor, minority children in the inner cites, who are often already disadvantaged by inadequate nutrition and other factors, are particularly vulnerable to this disease.  The pervasiveness of childhood lead poisoning as well described in the nature and Extent of Childhood Lead Poisoning in Children in the United States: a Report to Congress, prepared by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR, 1988)

Now let’s look at USA Today of May 28, 2008.  The lead to the story was “Lead Exposure linked to later Crime”.

Researchers have collected data from as early as 1979 when pregnant women and their healthy babies had their blood drawn regularly at four Cincinnati medical clinics.  By the time the children were 7, Researchers had a complete portrait of lead levels. Now nearly two decades later the researchers tracked down 250 of the subjects, ages 19-24.  Controlling for a host of factors, including parental IQ, education, income and drug uses, the team found that the more lead in a child’s blood from birth through age 7, the more likely he or she was to be arrested as an adult.  The tie between high lead levels and violent crime was particularly strong.

Many researchers believe that we could have an average increase of 10 points IQ in all levels of society if lead had been controlled.

Lead paint, leaded gasoline, and other lead related substances are usually contributed to the lead problem.  Fishing weights add more lead to the environment than any other industry in modern civilization. It is estimated to be about six million lbs per year worldwide by fishing alone.

This was the basis for developing ENVIO-WEIGHTS starting in the late 1980’s.

My early research extended to granite dust and steel dust.  At one time we used plasma cuttings from the steel cutting industry. By 1990 we had a basic application and idea, by 1994 we had working models and by 1995 we had everything we needed to go into production.  A major problem was that in 1995 the U.S. was basically a 3^rd world nation in respects to the environment.  In other words, we could not sell it.

Then a letter dated Feb. 5, 2008 came from the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and it completely changed everything around.  That letter is why we are here this evening.  In those few months it seems more and more people want our tackle, so now we are in the process of setting up manufacturing to serve these needs.  I had about all but given up on this ever succeeding.

In the meantime I had put together a program to raise money for cancer research with two great university research hospitals.  This lead to our next endeavor, Years ago I had built by hand a rod, harness and belt for a friend who had lost an arm in the Korean War.  I made one and could not find anyone to pursue it.  After this fundraising program I was able to put the technology together and right at one year ago, we introduced The Step above Fishing Systems to the market.  It has taken us longer to work out some of the marketing details, but now we are involved in some major fundraising program for spinal cord research fundraising.

The Problems with Lead and Children's Health and the Environment

States Information

 Other useful information from the State of Minnesota www.moea.state.mn.us/reduce/sinkers.cfm

Federal Information

Strategic Plan for the Elimination of Childhood Lead Poisoning, 1991

Lead poisoning remains the most common and societally devastating environmental disease of young children.  Millions of U.S. children from all geographic areas and socioeconomic strata have blood lead levels high enough to be associated with adverse health effects.  Poor, minority children in the inner cites, who are often already disadvantaged by inadequate nutrition and other factors, are particularly vulnerable to this disease.  The pervasiveness of childhood lead poisoning as well described in The nature and Extent of Childhood Lead Poisoning in Children in the United States: a Report to Congress, prepared by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR, 1988)

Prevention of Lead Poisoning of Young Children, CDC 1991

      Lead poisoning is one of the most common and preventable pediatric health problems today

Range of Effects of Lead

Very severe lead exposure in Children (Blood lead levels > 80 ug/dL) can cause

Coma, convulsions and even death

Loser levels cause adverse effects on the central nervous system, kidney and hematopoietic system

Blood lead levels as low as 10 ug/dL, which do not cause distinctive symptoms, are associated with decreased intelligence, impaired neurobehavioral development.

Many other effects begin at these low blood lead levels, including decreased stature or growth, decreased hearing acuuity and decreased ability to maintain a steady posture

Sources and Pathways of lead exposure in children include

Lead based paint in homes built before 1980

Soil and dust

Drinking water

Parental Occupations and hobbies  ie. working in a plant that produces lead products, casting lead in toys, bullets and fishing equipment,

Air

Food

Some "traditional" medicines

Cosmetics

Making stained glass

Making Pottery

Refinishing Furniture

Burning lead-painted wood

Please keep watch here for additions from the CDC Green Book