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Improving the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP)
In an effort to protect more children from the threat of lead poisoning in their homes, the Sierra Club settled a legal challenge brought last year against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a commitment by the agency to fix flaws in its recent lead in renovation rule that could have jeopardized children's health. The result of this work is that the US EPA will address several shortcomings prior to the rule's effective date of April 22, 2010, add additional safeguards by July 2011, and expand the scope of the rule to public and commercial buildings over the next six years. A great success for kids' health nationwide.
More Infomation about Lead Paint
The leading cause of lead poisoning in children today is due to lead-based paint in housing, especially housing built before 1950, when lead paint was most commonly used. Peeling lead-based paint and the lead dust it generates can easily be ingested by young children in normal hand to mouth activity. Because the dust settles so quickly, it can often be invisible to the naked eye, making it difficult to prevent children from ingesting the toxic substance.
The mere presence of lead paint in a home, however, should not necessarily be cause for concern. While a widespread problem with about 40 percent of all US housing containing some leaded paint, most families live safely so long as the paint is not actively peeling or deteriorating. Maintaining your home well and keeping paint from chipping off walls and window sills can help protect your children. Further, taking appropriate precautions before renovating a home which may contain lead paint can also make a significant difference.
For more information about lead paint go to http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/hip-lead.html.
Eliminating Lead in Wheel Weights
The Sierra Club in collaboration with a dozen environmental public health organizations submitted a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to immediately begin a rulemaking to ban lead wheel balancing weights. These wheel weights are used to balance vehicle wheels so they don't vibrate as they spin. Lead in wheel weights represents one of the largest unregulated uses of lead in consumer products today. States are already acting. Washington passed a ban in 2009 which will go into effect in 2011. Maine passed a ban which will go into effect in 2010. California and Iowa are currently considering similar bans. Vermont has banned lead wheel weights for state-owned vehicles by 2010 and for all new vehicles by 2011.
While EPA launched a program working with industry nearly a year ago to address concerns about lead wheel weights, the signatory groups believe that it falls short of what is needed to protect children, the public and the environment. EPA's partnership program focused on lead wheel weights found in tires of new cars. Because tires only last so long and the vast majority of tires are eventually replaced, the groups' petition sought to eliminate lead wheel weights from use in aftermarket tires which is believed to be about 66% of all of the wheel weights used.
Keeping Your Kids Safe from Lead in Kid's Products
Nearly 300,000 young American children have blood lead levels high enough to cause irreversible damage according to the Centers for Disease Control. Every one of these cases is avoidable. While many young children have been affected by lead from paint in older homes, other children are being exposed to the toxin through toys, especially toy jewelry, they love. These toys are identifiable and should not be purchased, played with, or even produced.
Every child is at risk for exposure to toys containing lead. Every parent needs to take important steps to keep their kids out of harm's way.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Children
- Know what stores, suppliers, and manufacturers have said no to lead. Go to the Center for Environmental Health website to get the latest list of companies that have agreed to reformulate their products.
- Avoid purchasing toys from vending machines. In 2004, 150 million pieces of children's jewelry were recalled from vending machines nationwide. To be safe, parents should avoid these products.
- Avoid toys which have small parts which may be swallowed, especially if the parts are metal or metallic.
- Avoid glossy, fake painted pearls which may be painted with lead-paint.
- Test suspect jewelry. LeadCheck swabs are available at most local hardware stores and can be used to test for lead in products you may purchase for your child. Swabs turn pink when lead is detected. You can also order test kits online.
- Check your child's toys. These toys may contain lead. If they do, remove them from your child's toy box and dispose of them. See photos of a sample of productswhich have tested positive for lead. For more information about disposing of lead contaminated toys, contact your local municipality.
- Get your child tested. Lead poisoning can generally not be detected any other way. Regular testing will ensure the health of your child.
- Ask retailers about their toy jewelry and ask them if they have documentation that the jewelry does not contain lead. Let them know that you are concerned if they don't have documentation.
- Stay vigilant. Sign-up to receive e-mails from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) about new product recalls. For past recalls of kid's products click here.
How Does Lead Affect Young Children?
- The primary danger to young children from lead poisoning is brain damage. This can result in lower IQ levels, hyperactivity, developmental delays, and aggression.
- Lead can kill. In February 2006, a child in Minnesota died after ingesting a piece of toy jewelry.
- Lead is a soft, naturally occurring metal and can be found in contaminated soil, water, old paint, inexpensive jewelry, and other consumer products.
- There is no safe level of lead for children.
- Children are generally exposed to lead by eating dust or soil contaminated by old lead-based paint or by swallowing or mouthing contaminated objects.
- Children six and under are particularly vulnerable to lead contamination. Two-year olds tend to have the highest levels of contamination because of their instinct to put objects in their mouth.
- Brain damage from lead cannot be reversed, but blood lead levels can be lowered to prevent further damage and early intervention can help to reduce long term effects.
- The best treatment is to remove the source of lead from the child. Parents should discard or avoid consumer products that contain lead.
For More Information about Lead Poisoning and Children:
- Lawsuit: Sierra Club Takes Action to Protect Children from Lead Exposure
- CLEARCorps
- Center for Environmental Health: Lead in Children's Jewelry
- Center for Environmental Health: Protect your child from Lead Poisoning
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry