Last week's column on the new lead-based paint rule for renovations and repairs sparked several calls and comments questioning the danger of exposure to lead.
One caller said he, as a child, had routinely used "split shot" fishing pole sinkers made out of lead. He would insert the fishing line into the gap in the sinker, then use his teeth to bite down on the lead, causing it to grip the line. He reported no noticeable ill effects.
Another correspondent reminded me that before the 1970s, lead was a standard component in almost all auto gasoline. He was sure we all breathed fumes with some lead content, again with no apparent ill effects.
The reality is that several members of the original lead additive research team died of lead poisoning, and oil companies termed the lead-enhanced gas "ethyl" rather than using the "L" word.
The most current national survey showed that more than 300,000 children suffer from elevated lead levels in their bloodstream. A large body of evidence shows that the most common source of lead exposure for children today is lead paint in older housing and the contaminated dust and soil it generates. Poisoning from lead paint has affected millions of children since this problem was first recognized more than 100 years ago, and it persists today despite a 1978 ban on the use of lead in new paint.
As I said last week, even a small amount of dust from renovations, repairs or painting can contaminate an entire home. If inhaled or swallowed, this dust can cause irreversible damage to children and adults. In children, lead can cause reduced intelligence, impaired brain function and impaired hearing, among other problems.
Because their unborn children are developing so rapidly, pregnant women are also at risk if exposed to lead hazards. Exposure of this group to lead can cause low birth weight, impaired organ development and even miscarriage.
Research has shown that by taking small steps to minimize and contain the dust created during typical renovations, and by encouraging renovators to clean up their dust as it is created, the degree of lead hazard can be dramatically reduced. These steps are the basis of the Environmental Protection Agency's new lead-based paint rule covering renovations, repairs and painting in pre-1978 housing.
That's why this rule was implemented, and I have become convinced that it is the right thing to do, both for the safety of our children and the safety of home renovation workers and their families. If you own, live in or work with pre-1978 housing, please take time to learn about this new rule. The penalties for violations are severe, and benefits of lead hazard reduction will be eventually felt by all Americans.
For more detailed information, visit epa.gov/lead.
John Adams is an author, broadcaster and investor. He answers real estate questions at noon every Saturday on radio station WGKA (920 AM).
For more real estate information or to make a comment, visit www.money99.com.
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