alt=A box of cigarette-like white cylinders on the left, in the middle a white cylinder with a pink tip, on the right a paper with four circles, two blank and two pink In most cases,<unk>  is preventable by avoiding exposure to<unk> . Prevention strategies can be divided into individual (measures taken by a family), preventive medicine (identifying and intervening with high-risk individuals), and public health (reducing risk on a population level). Recommended steps by individuals to reduce the blood<unk>  levels of children include increasing their frequency of hand washing and their intake of calcium and iron, discouraging them from putting their hands to their mouths, vacuuming frequently, and eliminating the presence of<unk> -containing objects such as blinds and jewellery in the house. In houses with<unk>  pipes or plumbing solder, these can be replaced. Less permanent but cheaper methods include running water in the morning to flush out the most contaminated water, or adjusting the water's chemistry to prevent corrosion of pipes.<unk>  testing kits are commercially available for detecting the presence of<unk>  in the household. Testing kit accuracy depends on the user testing all layers of paint and the quality of the kit; the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only approves kits with an accuracy rating of at least 95%. Professional<unk>  testing companies caution that DIY test kits can create health risks for users that do not understand their limitations and liability issues for employers with regard to worker protection. As hot water is more likely than cold water to contain higher amounts of<unk> , use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Since most of the<unk>  in household water usually comes from plumbing in the house and not from the local water supply, using cold water can avoid<unk>  exposure. Measures such as dust control and household education do not appear to be effective in changing children's blood levels. Prevention measures also exist on national and municipal levels. Recommendations by health professionals for lowering childhood exposures include banning the use of<unk>  where it is not essential and strengthening regulations that limit the amount of<unk>  in soil, water, air, household dust, and products. Regulations exist to limit the amount of<unk>  in paint; for example, a 1978 law in the US restricted the<unk>  in paint for residences, furniture, and toys to 0.06% or less. In October 2008, the US EPA reduced the allowable<unk>  level by a factor of ten to 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter of air, giving states five years to comply with the standards. The European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive limits amounts of<unk>  and other toxic substances in electronics and electrical equipment. In some places, remediation programs exist to reduce the presence of<unk>  when it is found to be high, for example in drinking water. As a more radical solution, entire towns located near former<unk>  mines have been "closed" by the government, and the population resettled elsewhere, as was the case with Picher, Oklahoma, in 2009. Removing<unk>  from airplane fuel would also be useful. Screening Screening may be an important method of prevention for those at high risk, such as those who live near<unk> -related industries. The USPSTF has stated that general screening of those without symptoms include children and pregnant women is of unclear benefit as of 2019. The ACOG and APP, however, recommends asking about risk factors and testing those who have them. Education The education of workers on<unk> , its danger and how its workplace exposure can be decreased, especially when initial blood<unk>  level and urine<unk>  level are high, could help reduce the risk of<unk>  in the workplace.
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