New Requirements Proposed for Lead-Based Paint Work

[MountainLaurel]

To reduce lead poisonings in children across the country, EPA is proposing new requirements for contractors and construction professionals when working in homes that contain lead-based paint.

"Under President Bush's leadership, we are addressing one of the greatest environmental challenges facing our most vulnerable residents: childhood lead poisoning,'' said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "Today's action brings us one step closer to ensuring that our nation's children are safe and healthy.''

Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in paint. Lead can cause a range of health effects, from cognitive impairment and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children under six years are most at risk because their developing nervous systems are especially vulnerable to lead's effects and because of their more frequent hand-to-mouth behavior.

Preventing the creation of new lead-based paint hazards from renovation activities in housing where children under six reside is one purpose of this proposed regulation. EPA's analysis indicates that renovation, repair and painting projects in housing that is likely to contain lead-based paint affects more than 1.1 million children under age six annually. In the absence of this regulation, lead-safe practices are not likely to be employed to perform the renovation projects.

While this sounds like a good idea, I just can't trust anything coming from the Bush Administration's EPA. Who is getting a kickback from this effort? Because we know that the Bushistas don't give a shit about poor kids living in old housing, who are the most likely to suffer from lead paint exposure.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=35627&nfid=rssfeeds

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Hmmm..seems that I read that most led-poisoning in children came

from older, sub-standard rental properties...not from acts of renovation. I know that some states (NE) have special requirements for removal of lead-based paint, but in my 'red' state, my contractor actually dumped asbestos siding in the land fill and I'm removing the lead-based paint on my woodwork with a heat gun. The city didn't seem concerned about my health nor that of any workers I had on site.

So, I guess we ought to look into who within the GOP and Bush's friends runs 'environmentally correct' disposal companies.

[MountainLaurel]

2. You're on to something

And you're correct about the rental properties issue, although public housing is also a major offender.

[mastein]

3. Report those violations to OSHA and state EPA

I have a case coming in for settlement talks where I knocked them for several grand on asbestos exposure of their employees. The housing authority is going to claim ignorance more often than not. THey have a vested interest in getting the work done and not in employee or community H&S.

[philb]

4. Both mercury and lead have been commonly used as mildicides &

have caused huge amounts of adverse health effects as a result. The mercury vaporizes over time and permeates the room where its used, but lead mostly deteriorates into dust over time and also when the paint is being removed/redone.
but even some venetian blinds have the lead dust problem, and the problem is common- not restricted to low income housing-
though a big problem there. One reason why its a bigger problem in low income areas is that good health/nutrition tends to counteract the adverse health effects to some degree in middle class areas.

millions of kids affected by toxic metal exposure(mercury,lead,arsenic,cadmium,nickel,aluminum,antimony,etc.)
http://www.flcv.com/tmlbn.html

its very useful to get periodic hair element test for toxic metal exposures at such as
www.vrp.com
www.bodybalance.com
www.doctorsdata.com (through a doctor)

the chronic conditions can usually be improved by finding the exposures and reducing body burden

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. The Romans made their plumbing with lead pipes... no wonder

they lost it after a time.... they really should do some bone analysis on the skeletons of the Roman empire era to see just how "leaded" they were.