Illinois adds more ZIP codes for required lead testing

The Illinois Department of Public Health has expanded its list of ZIP codes required to test for lead to include 180 new ZIP codes representing parts of 47 counties.

There are now 1,350 high-risk ZIP codes for lead exposure, and by next year, all ZIP codes in the state will be included, the department said in a news release Tuesday.

“IDPH is committed to building brighter futures for our children and families,” Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in the release.

“This latest expansion of lead testing list brings us closer to achieving the ambitious goal of universal statewide testing. There is no safe level of lead in the blood. Early detection and intervention are critical tools to help protect Illinois’s kids from the serious health and developmental challenges caused from lead exposure,” he said.

Lead exposure can lead to damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, behavioral and learning difficulties, according to the IDPH.

The newly added ZIP codes are located in Champaign, Clinton, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Effingham, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Monroe, Montgomery, Ogle, Peoria, Platt, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, St. Clair, Sangamon, Tazewell, Washington, Wayne, Will, Williamson, Winnebago and Woodford counties.

Under Illinois law, any child living in a high-risk ZIP code will be tested automatically at 12 and 24 months, and all children age 6 and younger are required to be assessed for lead exposure through a questionnaire from their healthcare provider, according to the release. Children in other risk categories, spelled out in the questionnaire, are also tested.

According to the release, high-risk ZIP codes are determined through an algorithm that considers several different risk factors, and the list of ZIP codes has been expanding gradually. For a complete list and more information, visit here.

Under the current Illinois law, blood tests that come back with lead levels in excess of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter require public health intervention. This includes a home inspection to determine the source of the lead contamination.

The inspector will work with homeowners to remove the sources of lead, and a public health nurse will visit and educate the family on ways to protect children from lead’s harmful effects, according to the IDPH.

For more information, visit the IDPH website.