News Release
Date: Oct. 21, 2025
Contact: Jennifer Finch, 970-302-1936
Weld County highlights dangers of lead exposure during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
Weld County, CO – The Weld County Board of Commissioners has proclaimed Oct. 19 through 25, as National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, recognizing the important work of the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment’s (WCDPHE) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
‘It’s worth noting that only four counties in the entire state of Colorado have a lead poisoning prevention program,’ said Cassie Tyson, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Coordinator. ‘I’m proud to say that Weld County is one of them, and I am grateful to work for an agency that prioritizes children’s environmental health and empowers our team to make a real, lasting difference in people’s lives.’
The commissioners’ proclamation noted that approximately one in four homes in Weld County built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint or other hazards. Lead exposure poses a serious risk to children, potentially causing irreversible and lifelong effects, including developmental delays, learning disabilities, and damage to the brain and nervous system.
Children can be unknowingly exposed to lead through contaminated dust or soil, adult occupations and hobbies, or certain imported foods, medicines, and household items. However, lead poisoning is entirely preventable through education, testing, and environmental intervention.
WCDPHE’s program provides free blood lead screenings, personal item testing, and in-home inspections for Weld County families each year to help identify and reduce lead exposure risks.
‘Lead poisoning is preventable when the commitment is there,’ Tyson added. ‘We are problem solvers and helpers at heart, and we have committed our careers to protecting the health, safety, and future opportunities of Weld County families.’
For more information about WCDPHE’s lead poisoning prevention efforts, visit www.weld.gov/go/lead.
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Communications and Public Information Office
Jennifer Finch, Public Information Officer, 970-302-1936
1150 O St., P.O. Box 758, Greeley, CO 80632
