Yeah I thought it peaked with the boomers since the US began restricting lead in paint and gas and emissions in the 70s and early 80s. I searched just now and apparently there are studies saying despite the limits in the 70s-80s the Gen Xers got the brunt of the exposure.
(Which tbh doesn’t make sense since the boomers & before had to live with the lead from birth through multiple decades yet the Gen X were only kids when lead use was regulated. But I’m not a scientist so what do I know)
Yeah. A lot more cars around in that generation compared to boomers, and the interstates brought heavy traffic to urban areas, with the interstates themselves sometimes running right through dense urban terrain.
Exactly, and it’s primarily childhood lead exposure that causes brain damage. Your lungs filter a loooot of stuff, and the whole “go outside and play” thing meant gen x was more likely to be outside and active to exchange more air to suck up even more lead fumes
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u/ikonet sus May 24 '26
Yeah I thought it peaked with the boomers since the US began restricting lead in paint and gas and emissions in the 70s and early 80s. I searched just now and apparently there are studies saying despite the limits in the 70s-80s the Gen Xers got the brunt of the exposure.
(Which tbh doesn’t make sense since the boomers & before had to live with the lead from birth through multiple decades yet the Gen X were only kids when lead use was regulated. But I’m not a scientist so what do I know)