Syracuse’s Ongoing Lead Crisis

The bright Syracuse community, a place that was once the center of the Industrial Revolution, is still poisoned with lead.

The Data

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a blood lead level of 3.5 mcg/dl is considered “elevated.” The Onondaga County Health Department revealed that 9.3% of children in Syracuse had blood lead levels above 5 mcg/dl. The amount of lead exposure in Syracuse has reached a crisis point, one that continues to plague children across the city.

Why Syracuse?

Syracuse’s long history plays a key role in why we see such a spike in lead poisoning here. Much of the problem stems from lead-based paint, which was commonly used to paint houses. Lead paint was banned after 1978, but the majority of Syracuse homes were built before that year. Now, one of the clearest indicators of lead risk is the chipped paint you can see peeling from the wood of older houses.

The Damage

Lead poisoning affects children most severely, particularly because it disrupts their developmental path. Other long-term effects include anemia, irreversible neurological damage, gastrointestinal issues, and even heart problems later in life. Syracuse is currently ranked among the top 15 regions in the country with the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning.

The Race Factor

Syracuse also has one of the most highly concentrated areas of poverty in the nation, and it is where the majority of the city’s Black residents live. As poverty rates rise, these areas show some of the highest levels of childhood lead exposure. The Onondaga County Health Department found that 11.8% of Black children tested had elevated blood lead levels, compared to 9% among other populations.

This disparity is not new. Syracuse has a long history of redlining, which forced Black families into impoverished neighborhoods. The construction of I-81 further divided the city, cementing segregation and disinvestment. These policies continue to shape where lead poisoning is most concentrated today.

Syracuse community children gathered together at a campaign to combat poverty in the area

Looking Forward

The Syracuse government has announced plans to implement a lead service replacement strategy. Officials say they have strengthened regulations and improved systems to detect unsafe water, and they have promised that transparency will be a priority throughout this process.

The history of Syracuse doesn’t make solving the lead crisis any easier. But with new efforts and a growing awareness of the issue, there is hope that these numbers can change for the better.