Port Pirie Environmental Health Centre

The Port Pirie Environmental Health Centre (EHC) is a service of the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network that helps protect children from the harmful effects of lead in their environment. The environment  has a history of lead contamination resulting from more than 100 years of smelting in Port Pirie.

There is no 'safe' level of lead exposure and exposure should be reduced or prevented to keep blood lead levels as low as possible. Children and pregnant women are at most risk from lead. 

Blood Lead Testing at EHC

The Environmental Health Centre team strive to make every child’s visit to the centre a positive experience.

Check out the Environmental Health Centre’s Daisy’s Visit clip to find out more 


More EHC videos are available on the Yorke and Northern YouTube channel.

Services offered

The Environmental Health Centre provides the following services to Port Pirie residents to monitor and assist in keeping blood lead levels as low as possible:

  • Blood monitoring services for all Port Pirie residents and at risk groups including:
    • women planning a pregnancy
    • pregnant women
    • babies and children (0-5 years)
  • Family and support services
  • Community education including services in educational settings (i.e. kindergartens, child care providers) and community groups

Family and community services provide support through:

  • Home and property assessments
  • Individualised education and information for clients
  • Testing of soil, dust and paint for environmental lead contamination
  • Assistance with cleaning strategies

Opening hours

The Centre is open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Contact us

Telephone: (08) 8638 4100
Fax: (08) 8638 4101

Address: 117 Gertrude Street Port Pirie South Australia

Confidential interpreting services from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are also available Telephone (08) 8226 1990.

About the Port Pirie Environmental Health Centre

The Centre was established in March 1984 for the Port Pirie community, to deliver the South Australian Government's Port Pirie Lead Implementation Program. This program is now a major component of the Targeted Lead Abatement Program (TLAP), which together with the Smelter Redevelopment project aims to achieve significant reductions in children's blood lead levels over the coming years. 

The Program's experienced staff provide a wide range of free family-friendly community services to help people understand the issues about lead, and assist the community to achieve an acceptable balance which safeguards the health of local residents, ensures the ongoing viability of one of the world's largest lead smelter, and promotes the sustainability of the City of Port Pirie.

Our mission

Every child needs a healthy start to life. Our aim is to improve children's health and wellbeing in Port Pirie by focussing on detection, prevention and intervention to reduce the impact of lead.

Further information

For further information on see the following pages or contact the Environmental Health Centre or SA Health's Scientific Services on (08) 8226 7100.

Services and lead information

For parents, families and caregivers

For gardeners, renovators and contractors

For recreational fishers