Parents who work at Delaware County plant may be exposing their children to lead

The Indiana Department of Health is working to coordinate lead testing for children after a local pediatrician noticed a trend in some of his patients with parents who work at a local manufacturing plant. Dr. Robert Bryn has worked as a pediatrician in Muncie since 2006 and says that he made the connection between the children with high lead levels and where their parents work. “Over the past five to ten years I’ve suspected based on some kids I’ve seen in the office that there could be a link with the parent’s occupation at the Exide facility,” said Dr. Bryn. The Delaware County Health Department says they informed state officials last year that they were concerned that Exide Technologies had been tracking lead home on their clothing, exposing their children to lead.   Exide Technologies issued a statement saying they were aware of “two isolated instances” that were being investigated by the Delaware County Health Department, but their practices are “designed to prevent employees from leaving its facilities with lead or other chemical residues on their clothes.”