The State of Public Health Lead Policies: Implications for Urban Health Inequities and Recommendations for Health Equity

Although regulations have reduced lead in paint and gasoline, lead exposures persist in urban environments — particularly in low-income, predominantly communities of color. This article reviews lead-related public health policies at the national, state, and local levels to understand how these frameworks address—or fail to address—health inequities tied to environmental lead exposure. The authors draw on a community-academic partnership in Santa Ana, California, to highlight exposure pathways and policy gaps, finding that many existing policies emphasize hazard mitigation rather than primary prevention. They recommend more comprehensive, equity-centered approaches to preventing and eliminating lead exposures across communities.