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The level of lead contamination in people's bloodstreams has dropped dramatically over the past 30 years, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.

The agency said fewer than 1 per cent of Canadians between the ages of six and 79 have blood lead concentrations higher than the Health Canada threshold.

The mean blood lead concentration was 1.37 micrograms per decilitre in 2007-2008, well below the current Health Canada blood lead threshold of 10 micrograms per decilitre.

In 1978, when levels were previously measured, one-quarter of the population had blood lead levels higher than the threshold.

The report says the phasing out of leaded gasoline, lead-based paints and lead solder in cans since the 1970s probably helped cut the blood levels.

Other sources of lead exposure include lead plumbing, food grown in lead-contaminated soil and products that contain lead or lead-based paints.

The findings are the results of a survey conducted by Statistics Canada in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada

The report also said fewer than 1 per cent of people have mercury contamination levels above the Health Canada threshold level.

And while Canadians have measurable levels of cadmium in their blood, they are in line with the levels found in the American and German populations and do not appear to pose a health threat.

Mercury contamination tends to come from eating seafood, while the main source of cadmium, other than industrial exposure, is through smoking.

Overall, the survey said, Canadians have measurable levels of all three of these heavy metals in their blood, but the levels “do not necessarily result in adverse health effects.”