Fouling one's own nest

The occurrence of increased assimilation of chemicals by children who live near smelters and other industrial plants is well known. Lead,1-4 arsenic,5 and tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD),6 for example, have been implicated, and epidemiological data indicate airborne transport of these chemicals from the factory to nearby homes. Elsewhere in this issue (page 563), Dolcourt et al. present another route of transport of lead from factory to home, namely, via soiled work clothes. Although lead-bearing dust is implicated in this particular case, work clothing impregnated with organic chemicals and worn home7.8 and even human breast milk9 are implicated in other cases in which the children of workers have been affected.