Lead’s use spans 5,000 years. Over 300 million metric tons of this cheap, low-melting-point element have been mined. Use of lead has increased since the heyday of leaded gasoline. In all phases of its product lifecycle -- mining, manufacturing, use, and recycling -- lead poisons people, animals, and the environment. Ice cores show lead levels increasing three orders of magnitude over the past 3,000 years. Lead poisoning contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire. Use of lead water pipes and leaded gasoline has poisoned people worldwide for thousands of years. Lead has acute and chronic effects, interferes with cell signaling, and compromises organ systems, producing a cascade of adverse effects. Detrimental effects are known in over 130 vertebrates; females and developing young are most sensitive. Lead poisoning is a key factor in the near extinction of the California condor. The tragedy continues today, killing eagles, loons, and other species. Disciplinary barriers impede scientific understanding of lead toxicosis and slow policy initiatives to protect health. Increased collaboration among diverse professions offers hope for new and innovative solutions to this persistent problem. This cross-cutting symposium will address the history of lead contamination, toxicity, exposure pathways, and ecological cycling. Discussants will address policies and actions to mitigate lead risks in all environmental compartments.