Lead-based paint from china and pre-1978 homes. Get a lead analysis on your soil. Children and pregnant women are high risk; keep them out of the home when remodeling.
It seems like lead is all over the news lately, doesn't it? Should we be concerned? Indeed! Although the U. S. Product Consumer Safety Commission issued a final lead ban to take effect in 1978, we continue to find it.
First we had the controversy over lead-based paint on toys imported from China. Not surprising. Bad things are bound to happen when we choose “cheap” over “regulated”. Did they know they were selling us lead-based paint?
That's a good question. A better one is, “Did they care?” One has to wonder.
But imagine my surprise this morning when I read in the Houston Chronicle that lipstick has excessively high levels of lead! Not just knock-off brands, either. We're talking L'Oreal, CoverGirl, Christian Dior and Mabelline!
My point is that we have to be vigilant. Owners of older (pre-1978) homes may think they're safe because they've repainted with unleaded paint, encapsulating the old lead-based paint. But every time that house was repainted before, suddenly lead-based paint was chipped and splattered in the soil around the house.
Do kids play in that dirt? Sure they do. Do some people grow a tomato plant or two around the house? You bet!
What can you as a pre-1978 homeowner do to address concerns about lead, family health, and the home? For one thing, you can get the soil tested. If you are doing any remodeling, avoid chipping or sanding paint when possible. Keep children and pregnant women out of the house.
We're safer than ever thanks to regulations. What we have to focus on now is awareness.
