Keys and key rings are not child’s play

Lead in the environment remains a persistent hazard especially for babies and small children. No amount of lead in our bodies is safe. An overlooked source of lead exposure for little ones who put things in their mouths is keys and keychains.

A 2019 study by the Minnesota Department of Health of 362 keys and keychains found lead in each key. The highest lead concentration was found in door keys. Gold-colored keys contained significantly more lead than silver-colored keys and copied keys were also found to contain significantly more detectable levels of lead than original keys.

Lead exposure, even in small amounts can cause harmful health effects and developmental delays in children. Simple actions such as not letting little ones play with keys could help lessen unnecessary exposure.

Visit the MDH website: data.web.health.state.mn.us/lead for more information.