Free lead screening kits are just part of the USW’s North American “Protect Our Kids – Stop Toxic Imports” campaign – one tool in our effort to draw attention to the dangers posed by an unregulated, unfair trade system.

The screening kits are just that – screenings. Consumers can use them in conjunction with recall and other information provided by manufacturers, the government and their doctors. When in doubt about a product’s safety, get it out of your home and away from your family. The screening should not be the sole basis for deciding if a product is safe. If the screening comes up positive, further laboratory testing may be necessary.

The USW is conducting Safe Home Sessions in part to use the union’s Health Safety and Environment expertise to demonstrate the proper screening procedure. The LeadCheck kits we are distributing are one of only two consumer kits easily available in the U.S. and Canada and the only one available at hardware stores across the U.S. Follow the manufacturers’ directions.

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Protect Our Kids – Stop Toxic Imports is a North American awareness campaign about the growing danger being created by toxic imports, unregulated globalization and the gutting of federal regulatory agencies.

The project will mobilize all activist entities of the United Steelworkers union, including Women of Steel; Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR); Health, Safety & the Environment; Associate Membership; Rapid Response; United Steelworkers Press Association (USPA); and Legislative.

They will help mount a series of national events in the U.S. and Canada that aim to get the lead and other dangerous products out of our homes while drawing attention to a broken regulatory system and unfair, unregulated trade policies that threaten our jobs and our families.
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