KDHE Home - News 2000 - News Release
Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
October 30, 2000
Contact: Sharon Watson, 785-296-5795
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Receives Additional Funding
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has been awarded $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help implement an accreditation and certification program for contractors who remove lead-based paint from homes. The funds will be applied over two years, beginning October 1 of this year and ending September 30th, 2002.
The ultimate purpose of the grant is to promote the identification and prevention of childhood lead poisoning throughout Kansas. This past summer, Kansas began requiring contractors to notify residents of the potential health hazards associated with renovation work involving lead-based paint in homes.
"CLPPP will use this newest grant to develop a curriculum that can be used to train painting and remodeling contractors in working with lead-based paint. This curriculum will be based on existing curricula developed by the EPA and HUD," explained CLPPP Director Barry Brooks. "The program will also conduct education and outreach activities with county health departments, public housing authorities and city housing and building officials to assist them with preventing childhood lead poisoning."
More than 80 percent of all homes in Kansas were built before 1978 and most of these still contain some lead-based paint. Housing built before 1950 poses the greatest risk of exposure to children. Census data from 1990 shows that 33.1 percent of all housing in Kansas was built before 1950, with 96 of 105 counties exceeding the national average of 27 percent. Kansas ranks 17th among the 50 states in the percentage of housing built before 1950.
Childhood lead poisoning is a major, preventable environmental health problem in the United States. Blood lead levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter have been associated with harmful effects on children's ability to learn. In 1999, Kansas had 770 children with blood levels above 10 micrograms per deciliter. Levels greater than 70 micrograms per deciliter can cause devastating health consequences, including seizures, coma and death. A World Health Organization study estimates that for every 10 micrograms per deciliter a child's blood lead level is elevated, IQ is decreased by 3 to 5 points.
If you have any questions regarding the Kansas Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, or the lead-based paint issues in general, call the CLPPP toll free number at 1-888-291-2821.
(Note: Since this news release was posted, the phone number for the Kansas Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has been changed to: (866)-UNLEADEDKS or (866)-865-3233.)
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