Housing and Lead in Detroit: A Historic Perspective

Abstract

Lead is one of the best characterized toxicants known, with multiorgan toxicities that can result in acute or chronic adverse health outcomes. Historically, the diverse uses of lead have resulted in somewhat ubiquitous exposures to humans through individual-use products such as cookware and pottery and through infrastructure and wide-use applications such as gasoline and plumbing. These health effects have extended to the broader population, although elderly adults and children may be disproportionately affected due to impacts on bone and neurodevelopment. Although the poisoning of households and especially children in the city of Flint, Michigan, gained national attention, it is not a rare occurrence. For example, only 70 miles away in a much larger urban center, there have been documented high blood lead levels among children living in Detroit, Michigan. During industrialization, Detroit was one of the wealthier cities in the United States, with rapid population growth and development. Throughout the past century, more affluent Detroit residents moved to the newer suburbs, and this sprawl has created socioeconomic disparities as households with lower incomes typically remained in Detroit. With continued population decline and increasing disparities between the city and suburbs, much of the city’s infrastructure is older and has not always received funding for modernization. This has resulted in the original lead-based construction materials still persisting throughout much of Detroit, resulting in lead contamination over twice the rate of the State of Michigan. Our commentary provides a review of the literature on the history and persistence of lead in Detroit, Michigan, and comments on some of the social determinants and health disparities resulting from this issue. We end by giving recommendations and highlighting organizations that offer solutions and services to this complex problem.