No Safe Level: Lead, Industry Influence, and What We Can Do
The Environment in Canada Podcast episode 93 on lead levels and industry influence. You can listen to the episode on The Harbinger Media Network, IHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website below:
Melody Li speaks with Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a physician and public health scientist whose research has reshaped how we understand the health effects of low-level chemicals such as lead, air pollution, fluoride, and pesticides. For more than three decades, his work has shown that small exposures can have large, lasting effects on children’s development and population health, and has helped drive prevention-focused policy around the world.
In this episode, they take a deep dive into the hidden ways toxic chemicals shape our health, our communities, and our policies: why there is no safe level of lead, how industry has influenced environmental science and regulation, and what decades of on-the-ground work with impacted communities reveal about environmental injustice and the global export of harm. They also explore how personal experience intersects with scientific research, why prevention must take priority over treatment, and what practical actions—both individual and systemic—can reduce toxic exposures and better protect future generations.
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Meet the Host & Editor for This Episode
Melody Li, Sierra Club Canada Communications Assistant
Melody Li (Communications Assistant) is a driven and dedicated individual with a strong work ethic and a passion for making a positive, meaningful impact. After completing her Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) in Environment and Toxicology, with minors in Environmental Science and Physiology from the University of Toronto in 2021, she spent several years exploring a variety of roles across different industries and sectors.
Melody brings diverse experience across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including student leadership and outreach in youth-led social justice activism and interfaith dialogue with The Awakening Project; virtual facilitation for incoming students and orientation leaders and postsecondary administration at the University of Toronto; sales, lead generation, research, outreach, and engagement connecting professionals in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries to quality digital media content as well as learning, collaboration, and networking opportunities; hospitality; and freelance transcription and captioning work.
Passionate about sustainability, climate action and justice, social justice, and health equity, Melody recently pivoted to the environmental non-profit space, where she applies her skills and experiences to work she finds deeply meaningful and impactful. She previously interned with the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (CCGHC) as Research Assistant / Project Coordination Assistant, supporting the Executive Director across a number of research, communications, outreach, and administrative responsibilities and assisting with organization-wide projects. In May 2025, she joined the Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) as Communications Assistant.