KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary

July 15, 1999

Contact: Barry Brooks, (785) 296-5606; Don Brown, (785) 296-1529

Parents, Homeowners and Contractors are Targets of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

The week of July 27-31 will mark the third year that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has participated in Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. In an effort to raise awareness about lead poisoning dangers, pamphlets designed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are being displayed in building supply and paint stores throughout Kansas. These pamphlets provide information regarding general lead hazards and specific information about reducing the risk of lead exposure and poisoning during remodeling projects.

The Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Education Rule

With the increase in remodeling and renovation projects during the summer months comes the need for more information regarding the Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Education Rule. This rule requires professionals remodeling or renovating a home built before 1978 to:

• Distribute a lead pamphlet to the housing owner and occupants before renovation starts
• Obtain confirmation of receipt of the lead pamphlet from owner and occupants or a certificate of mailing from the post office
• For work in common areas of multi-family housing, distribute renovation notices to tenants
• Retain records for 3 years

The EPA has recently compiled a guide to make compliance of the Pre-Renovation Education Rule easier to understand and follow. This guide has been distributed to building supply and paint stores as well.

"A common problem of elevated blood levels comes from remodeling homes," said Barry Brooks, director of the Kansas Children Lead Prevention Program. Although lead paint has been banned since 1978, there still remain the 80% of Kansas homes that were built before 1978, 83% of which contain a lead concentration of at least one microgram per square centimeter (g/cm²).

This poses a threat to children as the lead paint chips off and transforms into lead dust during remodeling and renovation. Children's movements include a lot of hand-to-mouth activity which puts them at risk for lead poisoning. As they play in and around contaminated areas, they touch objects, floors, or walls that have dust from leaded paint, then put their fingers in their mouth, directly ingesting lead. Children can pick up lead dust simply be being near a remodeler as he/she comes home from working at a lead-based paint job as well.

Lead poisoning can cause serious lasting problems in children six and under. Low levels of lead poisoning can cause hearing problems, behavior problems, and learning problems. While higher levels can result in mild retardation, comas, and convulsions. Children with blood lead levels exceeding 70 g/dL are considered severely poisoned, and in levels between 100 and 150 the result can be death.

The Kansas Children Lead Poisoning Prevention Program's goal is to educate the public about the seriousness of lead poisoning and to work with the surrounding communities to prevent the disease.

"Although lead poisoning is a major environmental health problem for children, it is also one of the most preventable," said Brooks.

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