Onondaga County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

08/27/2026

Does Your Child Need A Lead Test?

Lead testing made easy!

✅ Testing is available in September
✅ Walk-ins welcome
✅ No appointment needed
✅ Quick and convenient!

Contact us today:
📞 Call: (315) 435-3271
📧 Email: [email protected]
📋 Short form: https://redcap.link/r8076nak

08/26/2026

New York State Tightens Lead Limits for Certain Spices

New York State is making spices safer by setting a stricter (lower) limit on how much lead is allowed in certain spices. Beginning January 1, 2028, the maximum allowable amount of lead will be lowered to 600 ppb for the following spices:

The new lead limit will be 600 ppb for these spices:

• Curry
• Dill seed
• Dried basil leaves
• Dried non-bell peppers
• Nutmeg
• Sesame seed
• Turmeric

About 85% of these spices already meet this new, stricter limit. If any spice exceeds the allowable lead level, New York State can remove it from store shelves or request a recall.

Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can cause permanent harm to the nervous system. Lead exposure can lead to learning difficulties, developmental delays, and other long-term health issues. If you think your child may have been exposed to lead, talk to their healthcare provider about getting a blood lead test.

For questions about blood lead testing, contact your child’s healthcare provider. If your child does not have a provider, or if you have additional questions, reach out to us at [email protected] or call (315) 435-3271.

For more information on New York State’s action levels in spices, visit: https://agriculture.ny.gov/news/ahead-world-food-safety-day-new-york-state-announces-new-action-levels-heavy-metals-spices

08/19/2026

It’s Back To School Time! To find out if your child needs a lead test, contact your child’s doctor.

Did you know there is no safe level of lead in the blood? Even small amounts of lead can cause lifelong learning, growth, and behavior problems. There are usually no signs a child has been exposed to lead. A blood test is the only way to tell how much lead is in a child’s body.

All children should be tested for lead at age one and two. Your child’s doctor should check for possible lead exposure up to age six and order additional tests if needed.

Talk to your child’s doctor to see if they need a lead test!

For more information on blood lead testing, visit: https://onondaga.gov/health-lead/blood-testing/

08/12/2026

💧Water Fact Wednesday💧

Heading home after summer vacation? If water has been sitting in your home's plumbing while you're away, it may contain higher levels of lead and other contaminants from pipes or fixtures.
Before drinking, cooking, or preparing baby formula with tap water, flush the standing water in your plumbing system by running the cold water!

• Just Returned Home? Run cold water from the tap for 30 to 60 seconds before using it.
• Use Cold Water: Always use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.

To learn more information about lead in water, visit: https://www.syr.gov/Departments/Water/Lead-Free-Syracuse

08/07/2026

Product Safety Alert- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about fake and counterfeit squishy toys that may pose serious risks to children. CPSC is also reiterating its warning about serious burn hazards associated with a viral social media trend encouraging children and teens to microwave squishy toys.

Squishy toys — including popular animal, food, and character-shaped squeeze toys are widely sold through online marketplaces, social media, discount stores, and other retailers. Videos shared online may depict the toys expanding, changing texture, or bursting when heated. These demonstrations are dangerous and should never be attempted or imitated. Some squishy toys contain water beads or other gels, liquids, powders, or sand. If the outer covering tears or bursts, children may be exposed to the contents. Other unknown filling materials may present chemical exposure, inhalation, or ingestion hazards. Consumers should immediately stop using this product and keep the product away from children.

CPSC warns consumers not to purchase fake or counterfeit squishy toys and to stop using any squishy toy that has an unknown manufacturer, lacks required safety information, has a strong chemical odor, feels oily or unusually sticky, is leaking, or can be torn apart easily.

Fake and counterfeit squishy toys may also:
• Break or tear during foreseeable use, releasing small parts or hazardous filling material.
• Contain excessive levels of lead, prohibited phthalates, or other hazardous chemicals.
• Fail to comply with federal requirements governing water beads.
• Lack required warnings, age grading, tracking information, or manufacturer identification, and be sold without the testing and certification required for children’s products.

Contact us for questions about blood lead testing at [email protected] or (315) 435-3271.

For more information on how to spot a fake, keep children safe, and what to do if a burn occurs, visit: https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2026/Consumer-Safety-Alert-CPSC-Warns-Consumers-About-Fake-and-Counterfeit-Squishy-Toys-Reiterates-Warning-About-Serious-Burn-Hazards?utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=20260805

You can make sure that your child’s toys are safe by checking the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database: https://www.cpsc.gov/.

07/30/2026

Does Your Child Need A Lead Test?

A lead test can give you peace of mind!

✅ Testing is available in August
✅ Walk-ins welcome
✅ No appointment needed
✅ Quick and easy!
Contact us today:

📞 Call: (315) 435-3271
📧 Email: [email protected]
📋 Short form: https://redcap.link/r8076nak

07/28/2026

LEAD RECALL ALERT
The Warren James copper cup found in the Flashgitz relic lunch box (recall number 26-623) has been recalled due to having high lead levels, posing a possible health risk. Only the copper cups are included in this recall. The lunch box and other items that came with the box can continue to be used. The lunch boxes were distributed by the company Warren James, Inc. of Santa Monica, California and sold online by the Flashgitz shop from September 2025 through October 2025 for about $25.00. Consumers who purchased this product are advised to keep the cup away from their children and dispose of it. Warren James, Inc. can be contacted for instructions on obtaining a replacement cup. Consumers who purchased the lunch boxes directly from Warren James will be sent a free replacement cup to the address previously provided in the original purchase order. They can be contacted by email at: [email protected] or visit https://flashgitz.shop/recall or https://flashgitz.shop and click on “Recall” for more information.

If your child has been in contact with this product, consider having them tested for an elevated blood lead level. Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can cause permanent damage to the nervous system. This can result in learning disorders, developmental delays, and other long-term health problems.

For more information about blood lead testing, contact your child’s healthcare provider. If your child does not have a healthcare provider or if you have other questions, contact us at [email protected] or call (315) 435-3271.

To read the full product recall, please visit: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Warren-James-Recalls-the-Copper-Cup-Found-in-Flashgitz-Relic-Lunch-Boxes-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death-from-Lead-Poisoning

Consumers should stop using the recalled cups immediately and contact the firm for instructions on how to receive a replacement cup. Consumers who purchased the lunch boxes directly from Warren James will be sent a free replacement cup to the address previously provided in the original purchase orde...

07/20/2026

Did you know that there is no safe level of lead in the blood? Even small amounts of lead can cause lifelong learning, growth, and behavior problems. There are usually no signs a child has been exposed to lead. A blood test is the only way to tell how much lead is in a child’s body. All children should be tested for lead at age one and again at age two! To find out if your child needs a lead test, contact your child’s doctor.

For more information on blood lead testing, visit: https://onondaga.gov/health-lead/blood-testing/

07/08/2026

💧Water Fact Wednesday💧

Did you know? Hot water can pull more lead from the pipes than cold water. Cold water is safer!

Always use cold water only for:
🍼 Making baby formula
🍳 Cooking
💧 Drinking

For more information about lead in drinking water, visit:
https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-drinking-water

06/30/2026

Get Your Child Tested for Lead! 💙
Does your child need a lead test? A lead test is the only way to know if your child has lead in their body.

✅ Testing is available in July
✅ Walk-ins welcome
✅ No appointment needed
✅ Quick and easy!

Contact us today:📞Call: (315) 435-3271
📧 Email: [email protected]
📋 Short form: https://redcap.link/r8076nak