Lead-based Paint, Lead Poisoning, and Children at Risk

"This is ridiculous," I snarled. "Needing a license to remove paint is just another money grab from the government." 

I couldn't understand why I would need to become lead-based paint certified when I was already a Certified Restorer, Professional Mold Remediator, and a General Contractor. I had clean-up feces, mold, and dead bodies, lead-based paint didn't bother me. After 45 years of experience, what more did I need to learn about the building and restoration industry?

As I sat waiting for the class to start, I was angry to need to be there, frustrated that I wasn't out fixing some of the multitudes of problems on my list, and disheartened that I would also have to spend hundreds of dollars each year for another certification I didn't needed. 

I was peeved.

That was me, not a fictitious, composite character that I usually use for these articles, but the real me 5 years ago. I just couldn't fathom how this new license could possibly help me with my business, other than the thousands of dollar in fines we would be assessed without the training. We did flood and fire mitigation and repairs, which often involve sewage, mold, and other situations not conducive to dinner table discussions. But now, years later, I have a better understanding of lead, lead poisoning, and the devastating effects it can have on the innocent and I am passionate about making a difference.

Lead was everywhere.
I grew up in the era of lead in paint, lead in gasoline, and asbestos in nearly everything else. Lead was one of the first metals used by man because it was soft enough to manipulate with primitive tools. Alloys were added in later years to create pewter, which increased its strength and durability. Lead was added to paint before the birth of Christ to add durability and brighten the colors. It was added to automobile gasoline in the 1920's to improve combustion.

There were some doctors who recognized the problems of lead poisoning over 2000 years ago, but because lead worked for so many things, change was slow in coming. It was concluded early that lead cookware would allow lead to be absorbed into the body, but even then, it was hard for science, medicine, and government to agree.

Where is lead today?
So, we ended up with lead in the paint on our houses, lead in the paint on our furniture, lead in the paint on our appliances, and lead in our gasoline. Everyone thought we were safe from the lead, because we don't chew the siding, suck on the fridge, or drink gasoline. That is, adults don't do those things.

Children were eating the paint on window sills, their toys, and anything else they could put into their mouths. We had also missed another very important point, lead had been added to wine thousands of years ago to improve the flavor. Lead actually has a sweet taste. So it made the paint taste good, encouraging small children to lick and chew again and again, ingesting more and more lead each day.

Even though we didn't drink gasoline, once the gas exploded in our engine, the lead particulates flew out the tailpipe as part of the exhaust. These particles have settled on the roads and shoulders all over the world. As we walk along busy roads on the shoulder, sidewalk or gutter, we stir up lots of lead dust that settles on our shoes and clothes. We then, track this lead into our cars and homes.

Why is lead a concern?
Our bodies treat lead like it does calcium so it deposits it in the places that calcium is supposed to be. It then interferes with many of the body's processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues, including; the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, reproductive and nervous systems. It hampers the body's ability to create a proper nervous system in young children causing them to never achieve the intelligence their DNA is capable of.

Ingestion of a small amount of lead can begin to cause problems. Consumed again and again over time, lead continues to compound these problems.

If you have concerns, your doctor can perform or refer you to a doctor who can do a blood lead level (BLL) test. This test measures the level of lead in the blood so you can know if your child is at risk. If you or your child has elevated levels of lead, there are steps to remove the lead from your home as well as protocols to leach it from your body. Do not do either without proper direction from trained, certified professionals.

Hazards to children

• Damages the kidneys and nervous system.

• Decrease in intelligence.

• Causes attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities.

• Speech, language, and behavior problems.

Hazards to pregnant women:

• Lead is passed from the mother to the fetus and can cause:

• Miscarriages.

• Premature births.

• Brain damage.

• Low birth weight.

Negative health effects of lead in adults include:

• High blood pressure.

• Fertility problems in both men and women.

• Digestive problems.

• Nervous disorders.

• Memory and concentration problems.

• Loss of sex drive and/or capability. 

• Muscle and joint pain.

• Physical fatigue.

Lead poisoning is a problem, but removing it incorrectly can exacerbate the problem. It is important that proper lead renovation protocol is used. I will discuss that more in another article.

For more information, check out:
Renovate Right, EPA document on lead poisoning and renovation
The Truth About Lead Paint Poisoning, tri-fold brochure
Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
American Healthy Home Survey, Lead and Arsenic Findings, April 2011

Images courtesy of:

http://www.in.gov/isdh/19124.htm
http://www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/leadscreening/index.htm
http://legalfish.com

Dr. Ralph Spezio Proved Lead Poisoning Was Making His Students Stupid

Dr. Ralph Spezio was made Principal of Enrico Fermi School #17 in Rochester City School District 3 decades ago. It was a school with nothing but problems. Chain link fences, metal detectors, armed police, violent students, and the lowest test scores in the State, made it the last place in the world you would want to send your children to gain an education.

Working tirelessly with a dedicated staff, Dr Spezio was able to turn the school around. Test scores improved, violence was reduced and an atmosphere of learning and safety began to permeate the school.

But despite these gains, Dr Spezio was still concerned about the large numbers of students that still had severe learning and behavioral difficulties.

Still searching for answers, he was able to build a health care clinic and dental office adjacent to the school so that all the children could have the health care they needed. But still problems seemed to nag a large group of children, many from good and loving homes. It was of grave concern to him.

Students who couldn't seem to master the basic concepts of math and reading.
Students who would jump straight over anger to violence,
Students who were taught a skill and then an hour later couldn't remember how to do it.

Then one day, he heard 2 nurses in the clinic talking about the unusually high levels of lead in a student's blood. Piquing his curiosity, Dr Spezio began to check the lead levels in the records of all the students he had. The results were shocking.

He found 41% of the 3, 4, and 5 year old students had blood lead levels that were over twice that recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.  

Everyone of the "special needs" students also had high blood lead levels.

Listen to Dr Spezio talk at TEDxRochester, November 2010, and see the complete results of what he found, but more importantly, what happened as the community reduced the lead from their students environments and bodies.

For more information, check out:
Renovate Right, EPA document on lead poisoning and renovation
The Truth About Lead Paint Poisoning, tri-fold brochure
Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
American Healthy Home Survey, Lead and Arsenic Findings, April 2011

How Do I Know If My House Has Lead?

"I don't want my kids poisoned by lead," Paul thought after reading these articles. His 1 year-old and his 3 year-old were the joys of his life. 

They were so full of excitement and energy. Everyday they learned something new and were growing so fast.

It would just kill him to watch his sweet children devolve into people unable to cope with life. But how can he know if his house is safe?

How can he protect his children?

I have discussed in previous articles the dangers, risks, and challenges associated with lead poisoning. Now that we understand the problems, we can tackle the solutions.

How do you know if you have lead in your home?

Option 1, When was your home built?
Lead was introduced into paint millennia ago. We used it in the United States until it was banned from most paint in 1978. The graphic below shows the percentage of homes built during specific years and the probable percentage of homes that contain lead paint.

As you can see, homes built before 1940 have an 87% chance of having lead based oil paint. For practical purposes, that is nearly all of them. Many of these older homes have been painted over with latex paint, reducing the likelihood of lead particles becoming airborne, but not eliminating the chance. If the oil surface was not primed properly, the latex paint easily chips off exposing the lead paint underneath. Dents, holes, or remodeling will also disturb the lead in the original paint.

For those homes built between 1940 and 1960, there was a 69% chance of lead paint. The percentages drop because of the introduction of latex or water based paint. Latex paint could be thinned and cleaned up with water, making it a popular choice for both homeowners and professionals alike.

Homes built between 1960 and 1978, about 24% of them had lead based paint. Latex paint gained more popularity as the product became more durable and easier to work with.

If it was built after 1978, there is almost a 0% chance of lead paint. Having banned lead in paint, without special permits, no one could buy lead paint. Exceptions would be if someone purchased and stockpiled lead paint in 1977. The law only banned the manufacture of lead paint, not its application.

Option 2 - Use a DIY lead test kit

These kits are available in most lumber and hardware stores and they really do work. The problem is that they are invasive, messy and difficult to use.

Here are the top 3 selling DIY lead test kits on Amazon currently. They ranged from $9.00 to $20.00 per kit.

I have used the 3M kit and know it to work and is easy to use, but I will not recommend one over the other.

The 3M kit consists of a plastic tube with a brush tip filled with a chemical. In the tube is a glass vial with a liquid. If you break the vial inside the tube, the chemicals mix together and turn red when exposed to lead.

Other kits have a liquid that you paint on the surface with a Q-Tip

All you have to do is brush some of this liquid on the suspect surfaces and they will turn red if there is lead. False negatives occur when the lead paint has a couple of layers of latex paint on top.

The solution to this is to break off or cut through the latex paint exposing the multiple layers beneath. Then the test will work. If it's red there is lead.

Option 3 - Have a certified lead paint inspector check your home with a XRF analyzer.

These guns are the slickest thing since sliced bread. It is a gun that you simply point at the surface you want to test, pull the trigger, and presto, you have a reading. There are only 3 problems:



1. These are actually X-ray machines and you have to have a special license and training to own and operate one.      

2. They cost between $20,000 and $50,000.

3. They also have to be calibrated every year to ensure accuracy. Other than that, they are super cool because they will read through multi-layers of paint and give you the results without damaging the surface.

Now, you can still have your home tested with an XRF analyzer. You just need to have a certified professional come and do it. They usually cost about $75 - $150 per test. That's a little better than $50,000.

If the test results are positive, how can you remove the lead and protect your children? 

Read How Do I Get Rid Of Lead in My Home?

For more information, check out:
Renovate Right, EPA document on lead poisoning and renovation
The Truth About Lead Paint Poisoning, tri-fold brochure
Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
American Healthy Home Survey, Lead and Arsenic Findings, April 2011

How Do I Get Rid Of Lead in My Home?

We discussed the problems with lead, especially how it harms children, and how to determine if you have lead in your home. Now we need to learn how to remove it or compensate for it.

Toys, appliances, etc.

Portable personal property items, such as; toys, cooking implements, decorations, etc. can easily be discarded and replaced with non-lead products. That's the easy part and don't bypass this step. I know of one family that was poisoning all of their children by using a lead alloy mortar and pestle to prepare food. Fortunately it was discovered, and now their children are improving in a lead-free environment. Many slow cookers, electric skillets and other older appliances have lead in the paint. They are not hard to test and easier to replace.

Lead paint on the walls
Lead in the structure of your home is not impossible to remove, but a little more difficult. Lead can be in the paint on the walls, the door and window trim, doors and shutters, floor finishes, etc.. The best way to remove it is to remove the surface it is painted on. 

• This is easy for doors, trim and shutters, but more difficult for walls.  
• Walls can be laminated with a layer of 1/2'' drywall trapping the lead and reducing the chance of contamination. 
• Floors can be sanded and refinished with a non-lead product. 
• Many surfaces can be painted over with 1-2 coats of a non-lead paint. It is important to clean the surface and apply a good primer, such as; Kilz or Zinsser, so the new paint adheres well and won't peel off later.
• But there are a few caveats called safety precautions that must be understood and followed when removing or working around lead paint.

Safety precautions for lead renovation

Lead only becomes a problem when we breathe or swallow it. When you tear a wall out, or sand the surface of the paint, millions of tiny lead ladened particles become airborne, waiting to be ingested. We can consume a lifetime of lead in a few minutes during a sanding project. That is why the EPA established basic rules for remediation to ensure a safe environment during and after renovation.

1. There must be plastic laid out and taped to the floor, walls and ceilings for 6 ft each direction inside a home and 10 ft each direction outside a home.
2. All dust must be contained and not allowed to spread out of the environment. Often this requires a completely enclosed containment barrier with negative air pressure.
3. There is to be no eating, drinking or smoking inside the contained area or outside the area until workers are decontaminated.
4. Restrict access to the renovation area, especially children and pregnant women.
5. Anyone inside the contained area must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including; disposable clothing, gloves, breathing protection, eye protection, etc..
6. Turn off any furnaces, air conditioners or fans before the work begins and and do not turn them on until the work is completed and the area is cleaned.
7. Post warning signs to keep unprotected or high risk individuals from entering.
8. At the end of the renovation, all equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and all disposable barriers, clothes, etc, must be doubled bagged and disposed of. 

That's way over my head, what can I really do?

There are many people, who, with the proper instruction and training, could remove the lead from their home without problems to their families. Many others would have a very difficult time, crash and burn, and likely contaminate themselves and those they loved. 

The next step? 
Use a Certified Lead Renovator. These contractors have taken the EPA approved courses, have the proper equipment and trained employees to do a thorough job. 

You can find local trained contractors in your area by going to the EPA site. On this page, you can select the link to your State where you should find a link to a list of Certified Renovation Contractors. If you state is not listed, there is a form you can fill out and send to the EPA so they can help locate the closests firms.

No you know who, what, why and how. Protect your family from the ravages of lead poisoning.

For more information, check out:
Renovate Right, EPA document on lead poisoning and renovation
The Truth About Lead Paint Poisoning, tri-fold brochure
Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
American Healthy Home Survey, Lead and Arsenic Findings, April 2011

Image courtesy of:

http://www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/leadscreening/index.htm

Freddie Gray, Lead Poisoning as a Child Lead to a Life of Chaos, Violence and an Early Death

Freddie Gray, the young man who died in police custody in Baltimore, had serious issues with lead poisoning. As a child, he lived in an apartment where paint was peeling from nearly every wall and window sill. There were always piles of paint chips on the floor that his mother continually tried to sweep up.

In 2008, the family won a judgement against the owner of the apartment building he grew up in because of the unprecedented exposure to lead. Freddie and his family were living off of the judgement at the time of his death.

How do we know that Freddie suffered from lead poisoning? It is all documented in the lawsuit.

Freddie has his blood checked for lead 3 times before he was 2 years old. At 22 months of age, his blood lead level (BLL) was at 37 micrograms. That level is more than 7 times the amount recommended by the CDC for children and nearly 4 times the amount recommended for an adult. 

Since it is documented that lead poisoning in children contributes to or causes; learning disabilities, anger management issues, physical complications and social problems, it is no wonder that Freddie Gray had been arrested over a dozen times and spent 2 years in prison by age 25.

The body treats lead, like calcium, depositing it in the same places the body uses calcium; primarily the nervous system and the bone structure. It is possible that the acute lead poisoning left his bones compromised and made him primed for a broken neck from the scuffle with the police, something that would likely not have occurred in someone without lead poisoning.

Lead poisoning is by no means justification for Freddie Gray's negative behavior, but it is a warning shot across the bow of society of the social and emotional cost of lead poisoning in our young people. Ever more reason to have children checked, homes renovated and lead out of our bodies.