Lead (Pb) is a naturally occurring metal that has been used in a wide variety of products, including paint, gasoline, plumbing materials, ceramics, batteries and cosmetics.
Because lead exposure can harm human health, the federal government has phased it out of many products. The sale of lead-based paint for residential use was banned in 1978. The phaseout of lead in gasoline for on-road vehicles began in the 1970s and was completed in 1996.