Lead-Based Paint
Lead-based paint (LBP)
is a concern in most homes built before 1978. In the U.S., White
Lead
was used extensively as a pigment in paint until the rising cost
of lead in the 1960s prompted the use of alternative pigments. The growing awareness of
lead poisoning
resulted in the eventual ban of lead-based paint in 1978 when the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the sale and distribution of residential
paint containing lead. Before the decline in use and eventual ban of lead-based paint,
it was considered a high quality and durable paint. It is estimated that over
80% of the homes built before 1978 contain some lead-based paint.
Exposure to Lead
Paint in the Home
The primary concern
with having lead-based paint in the home is lead poisoning from inhaling lead dust,
ingesting lead dust from placing hands or other objects covered with lead dust
in the mouth or even ingesting lead paint chips. Lead paint produces
a white, chalky film of lead dust over time and, like all paints, will peel and
chip when not
maintained. Friction on painted surfaces such as doors and windows
can also produce lead dust.
Particularly at risk
are young children under the age of six years. Their innate and indiscriminate
habits of putting objects in their mouths make them most susceptible to
ingesting lead dust or paint chips. Their proportionally smaller body mass
allows dangerously high concentrations of lead to develop more easily with minimal
exposure. According to the Centers
for Disease Control, an estimated 10 percent of U.S. preschoolers suffer from high enough
levels of lead in their blood to poison their systems. Also at risk from exposure
to lead-based paint are pregnant
women. Please note that some states or local authorities require some action if
a child is found to have lead poisoning or is at risk of lead poisoning. Consult
your state agency to see if state or local laws apply to you.
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