Lead does not break down over time and so accumulates in soil, but not much federal testing or scientific research has focused on the potential risks coming from lead-sheathed telephone cables. READ ...

WSJ (Wall Street Journal) prepared some (paywalled) outstanding journalism. WSJ tested for lead around older lead-sheathed cables. High lead was strongly linked to old lead-sheathed cables.

The Centre has declined to ban Indian power and transmission utilities from using high-voltage power cables containing toxic chemical — lead — while laying the underground transmission lines. The CII ...