E.P.A. Toughens Requirements to Remove Lead Paint Dust Around Children. (New York Times)
Excerpt from this New York Times story:
The Biden administration said Thursday that it was strengthening requirements for homes and child-care facilities to remove lead-based paint dust, a move that could better protect more than 300,000 children a year from the toxic metal.
Under the new rules, any detectable level of lead dust in the building would be considered a “lead hazard,” and property owners would be required to pay for cleanup. Property and business owners who could be affected expressed concern about potential cleanup costs.
Lead is a potent neurotoxin, and exposure can damage the brain and nervous system, particularly in babies and children. Manufacturers once commonly added lead to paint to make it more durable, resistant to moisture and faster-drying.
The federal government banned lead-based paint for residential use in 1978. Still, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 31 million dwellings built before that year still contain lead-based paint, 3.8 million of which are home to one or more children under the age of 6.
The new rule applies to facilities regularly used by children 6 years old or younger, including child-care centers, preschools and kindergarten classrooms. The E.P.A. says many of the buildings subject to the new rule are older structures located in low-income neighborhoods.
It does not require property owners or child-care facilities to proactively test for lead dust. But if a child showed symptoms of lead exposure, through a blood test or other measure, the rule would trigger state and local requirements for testing.
At that point, if lead were detected, property owners would be required to pay for cleanup. That includes the lead that can remain in a building even after lead paint is removed, such as in the wake of a renovation.
Previous standards allowed for lead to remain in homes up to 10 micrograms per square foot for floors, and 100 micrograms per square foot for windowsills. The new rule would also require homeowners to disclose any lead-test results to potential buyers.








