Published June 2001

Renovations bring to light lead contamination

By Brian Hunt
Guest Editorial

The only thing more frightening than an uninformed contractor working on your building is an uninformed homeowner.

We purchased a fixer-upper that was built before 1978 and planned to do some renovations while living in another part of the building. The purchase was prior to required disclosures, and the owners had no knowledge of any hazardous materials.

By coincidence, I had just finished a workshop on lead-based paint and suspected that the house contained lead at least on the exterior, which recently had been painted. I wasn’t too concerned because I figured it was at least temporarily encapsulated.

What I didn’t figure on was all the dust that would be generated from remodeling and how little the workers cleaned up after a day’s work and their general lack of awareness of hygiene facilities and engineering controls for hazardous materials.

Since I was concerned about potential exposure from the renovations being done, I took our son down to get his blood tested for lead. He was a toddler at that time and a prime target for lead exposure based on his daily play and taste activities. His blood test came back positive for lead.

Elevated blood lead can cause developmental and neurological impairment and has been linked to mental retardation, poor academic performance and, believe it or not, delinquency.

After cleaning everything we thought might be a source of lead, we sampled the exterior paint, soil, water, porch paint, wood blinds, dust and window sills. To our surprise, every single sample contained lead.

We went on a cleaning frenzy, washing all our clothes, all surfaces, cleaning all the dust, painting anything that didn’t move for at least a temporary fix.

And today, I am happy to say, a retest of our son’s blood showed a significant lead decrease — into a normal intake range.

We have replaced the windows, again painted the house inside and out, filtered the water and built a deck where there was suspected soil contamination. Instituting regular hygiene practices following outdoor activities has been our primary defense. In addition to good hygiene, there are recommended dietary changes that can minimize the amount of lead intake.

Recently, a new regulation became effective that reinforces the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ongoing efforts to protect children from lead poisoning.

It was a good reminder for me to check the condition of the paint to see that the temporary solution was working. It also was a reminder to talk with our child-care providers and let them know about the possibility of lead in their home.

As I was reading the latest regulations, I was reminded of so many sources of lead that it bears repeating. Lead can be found in lead-based paint in buildings built before 1978, in batteries, solder, caulking, water pipes, radiators, highway paint, water coolers, undercoatings, smelters, oyster shells and brass fittings, just to name a few items.

The good news is there are some things you can do to minimize exposure for you and your family.

If you suspect your building has lead-based paint, call the Snohomish Health District at 425-339-5250 for a free information packet. In some cases, they also will come out and check your building.

If you want to get samples taken and have your potential for exposure evaluated, call an environmental consultant. If you recently purchased, are renovating or rent, don’t let the required disclosures get lost in a pile of papers. A good time to read pamphlets such as “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home” is now.

If you live or work in a building built prior to 1978, you may be exposed to lead-based paint. If you sell, rent or renovate a building that may contain lead-based paint, you are required to disclose this information.

Do the right thing and get informed about lead so it won’t become a problem for you, your children or your friends. If your neighbor has a lead problem, it may be yours as well.

Brian Hunt is an environmental consultant with Alternative Technologies and can be reached at 425-514-0444 or online at www.alternative-technologies.com.

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