00:00 Not every child worries about blood tests, but in Port Pirie it's part of regular school
00:07 yard chatter.
00:08 One of my friends who has asthma really is stressed about it so I always help him talk
00:15 about it.
00:16 New data from 2022 to 2023 shows 66% of children under 5 in Port Pirie had a blood lead level
00:25 above 5 micrograms per deciliter.
00:28 The national standard for requiring investigation.
00:32 That's an increase of 1.6%.
00:35 And the number of children whose levels were equal to or exceeding 20 micrograms per deciliter
00:40 had doubled.
00:42 But the average blood lead levels for 2 year olds has decreased to 7.4 micrograms per deciliter.
00:49 The targeted lead abatement program has been operating for a decade to reduce lead levels
00:54 in the community.
00:55 It's a mixed report, we're always disappointed because we want every child to be below 5
00:59 micrograms per deciliter and we clearly know we're near that yet.
01:02 SA Health says the difference in results for 5 and 2 year olds could be due to historic
01:07 factors and climatic conditions.
01:10 Children that were born two years ago were born in a year that was good lead in air levels,
01:16 so lower lead in air levels.
01:18 There are mixed views in the community.
01:20 I reckon it's safe, I watch the Casminco cleaners go around with their hoses and stuff like
01:29 that and they do a bloody marvellous job.
01:32 That's pretty bad.
01:33 Nearstar says the report highlights the importance of the targeted lead abatement program, which
01:39 it contributes to along with the state government and local council.
01:43 The smelter owner says it will continue to work on short and long term initiatives and
01:47 infrastructure upgrades to improve the lead levels in the air.
01:51 But it's an issue that won't be easily solved.
01:54 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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