Trenton Health Department to go door-to-door to test children for lead exposure

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The health department in Trenton, New Jersey, will be going door-to-door to test children who may have been exposed to lead in their home or environment.

It's part of a new campaign announced by Mayor Reed Gusciora called "Get the Lead Out of Trenton."

The house calls are part of the city's initiative to inform parents about the importance of testing and to offer free lead tests for children in the community.

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Trenton health officials say they are in the process of testing more than 600 students.

If a child tests positive for high levels of lead, the health department will work with families to identify sources of exposure and offer free remediation to remove those sources.

ALSO SEE: Elevated lead levels detected on school grounds in Trenton, forcing outdoor areas to be sealed off

This comes after the EPA found high lead levels in the soil around Ulysses S. Grant Intermediate School back in January.

The agency says the lead may have come from Trenton's pottery industry, which flourished up until the early 1900s.