Revealed: a toxic metal is in a US city’s air – and may be harming children’s brains

The Guardian finds children in Portland, Oregon, could have lower test scores due to lead emissions from nearby racetrack, one of dozens across the US to use toxic leaded gasoline

When a neighbor mentioned to Kristy Lanciotti, a mother of two and pediatric nurse who works in environmental health, that toxic leaded gasoline was being used at a racetrack just down the road from her house in Portland, Oregon, she was taken aback.

She was well aware of Portland International Raceway - most summer weekends were punctuated by the roar of engines - but Lanciotti, like most of her neighbors, was surprised to learn that the cars in many of those events were powered by a fuel that could damage her children's brains.