Lead Poisoning
The South Bend Tribune reported, “Only a small fraction of Indiana’s children in low-income families are tested for lead poisoning, but a proposed state bill aims to change that.
“Senate Bill 491 — co-authored by Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, and Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend — calls for doubling the number of Medicaid-eligible children tested statewide for the toxic metal. Lead can cause permanent damage to kids’ developing brains and organs.
“The bill comes as communities across the state, including South Bend, Fort Wayne, Gary and East Chicago, are battling the stubborn problem with lead-poisoned children that has garnered national attention.>
The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint in 1978.
Lead Poisoning in the House
“Many painters loved lead-based paint,” says Welmoed Sisson, a Maryland-based home inspector with Inspections by Bob. It tends to be glossier, more lustrous, and it holds color better. “Once they learned the ban was going into effect, many of them stocked up on a cache of lead-based paint.”
And since the government made it illegal only to manufacture and buy the paint, using what you already had was a gray area that lasted for years. “I’ve talked to inspectors who’ve found lead-based paint in homes built in the ’90s,” says Sisson.
Bottom line: This is not something you want hanging around a home once you move in. Thankfully, there are ways to check for toxic health threats like lead paint contamination in the house and get rid of it.
Lead Poisoning in the house? What can you do about it?
- When it comes to testing for lead, you have two options: hire a professional, or do it yourself. Certified professional lead inspectors can give you the quickest and most accurate test results. You can find listings of certified lead inspectors at your regional EPA office. Expect to pay several hundred dollars to have your house tested.
- Depending on how much lead paint is present in your home, you may be able to contain it with a strict maintenance plan that includes regular inspections for pain deterioration. Lead-Safe certified home contractors need to make any future renovations.
- Lead paint contamination can make your home difficult to sell. The seller must disclose any information you know about the presence of lead-based paint to potential buyers. Though that can turn away some shoppers, lead paint disclosure is required by law.
Seller’s Obligations to the Buyer:
Federal law requires that before signing a contract to buy a house built before 1978, buyers must receive information about Lead Paint Contamination in the house from the home seller:
- An EPA-approved information pamphlet on identifying and controlling lead-based paint hazards titled Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home (PDF).
- Any known information concerning the presence of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the home or building.
- An attachment to the contract, or language inserted in the contract, that includes a “Lead Warning Statement” and confirms that the seller has complied with all notification requirements
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