Yourlawyer.com (Lead Paint Poisoning News)

Young Artists Easels Recalled for Lead Paint Standard Violations

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

About 10,000 Young Artist Easels, manufactured by MacPherson’s of Emeryville, California have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels have been recalled because the chalkboard surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported; however, of note, adverse health reactions resulting from exposure are not generally immediately evident.

As we have often written, lead is considered by many experts to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

This recall involves a children’s art easel, which has a chalkboard surface on one side and a white board surface on the other side. The item number is AA13301 and the UPC number is 082435133010, which can be found on the original packaging. The recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels were sold at art supply stores nationwide and online from July 2004 through June 2009 for about $75.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately take these recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels away from children and contact the firm to receive a free replacement chalkboard panel. MacPherson’s can be reached toll-free at 1-866-319-5335 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, at the firm’s Web site at www.art-alternatives.com/recall, or by email to recall@macphersonart.com

The recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels were manufactured in China. Of note, defective imports from China have been making headlines in recent years; this recall of defective MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels is another of many such issues on which we have been writing.

In 2008, nearly 80 percent of all product recalls in the United States involved imports from China. Products such as dog food, baby formula, toys with lead paint, and even pharmaceuticals like heparin have been found to have been made with toxic materials and other counterfeit ingredients that have long been putting United States consumers at significant risk. Also making news is the ongoing Chinese drywall disaster involving imports from that country.

This is Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

WPCVA has announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared October 18-24 Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The move is part of the EPA’s efforts to heighten awareness to the toxin and its hazards, said WPCVA.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about half of all urban children world-wide and under the age of five test with blood lead levels higher than the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) safe limit.

Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

As we have often written, lead is considered by many experts to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Unfortunately, despite efforts to control lead exposure, serious cases still occur. Lead effects were first discussed in Australia in 1892, said the BBC, which added that in the United Kingdom, lead has been removed from paint and petrol (gasoline). In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said the BBC, dropped its “level of concern for blood” lead levels to 10 micrograms per deciliter.

WPCVA explained that lead can be in our homes, poisoning us without our ever being aware of its presence because it cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled and it does not break down. Lead has been removed, or mostly removed, from gasoline, plumbing, paint, and a variety of other products; however, precautions should be still be taken and consumers should be aware of the adverse effects of lead exposure, said WPCVA. As part of ongoing efforts to stave lead exposure and poisoning, WPCVA suggests the following:

Ensure children are tested for lead levels, regardless of physical appearance since lead poisoning is not generally apparent.
Reduce dust and dirt, which are known to contain lead, and ensure, for instance, toys, hands, pacifiers, floors, window frames, bottles, sippy cups, and surfaces, are routinely washed.
Reduce lead paint exposure, particularly in homes built before 1976, by watching out for peeling or chipping paint and keeping children away from chewable, painted surfaces, such as window sills.
Never attempt to remove lead paint and always hire a professional to do so.
Eat right, especially consuming sufficient iron and calcium, which absorb less lead.
Never store food or liquid in “lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery,” said WPCVA. When using or reusing plastic bags, ensure the printing is on the bag’s exterior.

Under the new EPA rule effective next April, contractors renovating, repairing, and painting in such a way that lead-based paint is affected “in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978” must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent contamination, reported WPCVA. Until then, the EPA urges adherence to lead-safe work practices: “Contain the work area, minimize dust, and cleanup thoroughly,” said WPCVA.

NYC Lead Poisoning Cases Drop

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Although New York City is seeing some progress regarding a drop in lead poisoning cases, recent findings indicate children of color still suffer from lead poisoning at higher rates than other groups.

According to 2008 data, said EMaxHealth, 85 percent of the children identified as having been diagnosed with lead poisoning were either black, Hispanic, or Asian, with Hispanic and black children comprising the bulk of new cases. Regarding Asian children as compared to other groups, Asian children with lead poisoning tend to be older, born outside of the United States, and likely exposed to lead in other countries, said EMaxHealth.

Meanwhile, the overall number of lead poisoning cases in children dropped by 19 percent in New York City in 2008, according to information announced by the Health Department in its' annual report to the New York City Council, reported EMaxHealth. Last year’s figures indicate 1,572 newly identified cases of lead poisoning among children from six months and to six years of age pointed to a 92 percent decline since 1995; that year saw about 20,000 lead poisoning cases, according to EMaxHealth.

“The new number marks a new low for New York City,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, quoted EMaxHealth. “But it also shows that childhood poisoning remains a serious, preventable health problem. Lead paint is the main cause of lead poisoning, and young children are most at risk. It’s critically important that landlords safely repair peeling lead paint in homes with young children. It’s also the law,” Dr. Farley added.

Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

EMaxHealth explained that lead poisoning is defined when blood levels are measured at 10 or more micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (ug/dl). State law mandates physicians test young children—one-to-two years of age—since patients with elevated lead levels may not always exhibit symptoms, added EMaxHealth.

Last year, of the 536 children newly diagnosed with blood levels at or exceeding 15 ug/dl, the majority—446—were between six months and six years of age, said EMaxHealth. This level is known as the Environmental Intervention Blood Lead Level, known as the EIBLL, explained EMaxHealth, which noted that, at this level, the Health Department intervenes to determine the origin of lead paint in the patient and mandates landlords repair any such hazards safely and quickly. There has been a 14 percent decline in EIBLL cases in the past two years—2007 saw 620—and a 69 percent decline from 1709 in 1995, said EMaxHealth.

EMaxHealth suggests parents remind doctors to test children for lead poisoning at one and two years of age, as well as older, at risk children; report peeling paint to landlords, and if no positive response is received, call 311; frequently wash floors, windowsills, hands, toys, and pacifiers; do not use food and consumer products known to contain lead; and use cold tap water, that has run for a few minutes, to make formula or cook and drink.

Toy Action Figures Recalled for Lead Paint

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

About 8,400 toy action figures that violate the federal lead paint standard are being recalled today by Liquidation Outlet, Inc., of Lakewood, Wash. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the products involved in this recall include Force Soldier Playsets, Pirate Expeditions with Parrot, and Pirate Expeditions with Treasure.

Consumers should take the recalled products away from young children immediately and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange for another toy. For additional information, contact Liquidation Outlet, Inc. toll-free at (877) 257-5990 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or email info@loidistributing.com, or visit one of the Dollar Stores in person.

The Force Soldier playsets comes in a plastic bag with SKU number 70134 printed on the header card. The soldiers (two per bag) are 5” in height and come with an airplane, machine guns and a tropical tree. The Pirate Expeditions come in a blister packs in two styles with the SKU number 70136 printed on the header cards. Pirate Expedition figures are 6.5” in height and have assorted accessories including a parrot or a treasure chest. The recalled toys were sold in Dollar Stores in Washington and Oregon States from September 2007 through July 2009 for $1.

The CPSC is warning consumers that the recalled action figure toys have surface paints which contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Lead poisoning is considered by many experts to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm.

Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

New Trial Sought in Lead Poisoning Lawsuit

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Following a jury verdict of $7 million for making lead paint that allegedly caused harm to a Mississippi athlete, paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams, has a filed for a new trial, according to PublicNuisanceWire.com.

It seems, said PublcNuisanceWire.com, that as a result of ingesting lead paint chips when he was a child, Trellvion Gaines—a former football and basketball player—allegedly suffered neurological illness and cognitive delays. The lawsuit—Trellvion Gaines V. The Sherwin-Williams Company—states that the paint giant was responsible for Gaines’ childhood lead poisoning.

Lead poisoning is said to be the most common environmental illness in children in the U.S. and—although occurring in all groups—frequency varies with age, socioeconomic status, community population, race, and the age of the home. According to the 1997 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 16.4 percent of children living in cities with over a million people and in homes built before 1946 have elevated lead levels.

During the trial, Shermeker Pollard, Gaines’ mother, alleged her son was unable to attend college due to the lead poisoning he suffered from paint, said PublicNuisanceWire.com, adding that Gaines’ attorney also brought in witnesses who said his “deficits” would prevent him from attending college, citing Sherwin-Williams’ motion for a new trial.

Lead paint was made illegal in 1978; however, “some municipalities, counties, and states allege” that paint makers manufacturing paint when legal have created a “public nuisance,” said PublicNuisanceWire.com. Sherwin-Williams claims it did not manufacture paint containing lead after 1972; Gaines is scheduled to play football at Southwest Mississippi Community College on a scholarship, said PublicNuisanceWire.com.

According to Hans von Spakovski of the Heritage Foundation, "When lead paint was made more than 50 years ago, it was a legal product. State and federal government even recommended and required it in governmental housing projects,” quoted PublicNuisanceWire.com. In 2003, Sherwin-Williams won summary judgment in the case, which the state Supreme Court overturned in 2007, reinstating it, said PublicNuisanceWire.com.

A major challenge with lead poisoning is the difficulty in recognizing its subtle symptoms and that no pathognomonic—or definitive—indicators exist or point to contamination. Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting—and generally without diarrhea—constipation, and changes in activity level. Children with lead toxicity may be iron deficient and pale because of anemia and can be hyperactive or lethargic. There may also be dental pointers, such as lead lines on gingival tissue.

Lead Paint Prompts Body Board Recall

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Body boards imported by JGR Copa LLC, of Hollywood, Fla. have been recalled due to violations of the federal lead paint standard. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled body boards should be taken away from children immediately.

This recall involves about 900 18” Kick Body Boards. The boards have various designs on the front including peace signs, white hibiscus, or yellow smiley face. A green lizard and “Big Lizard™ body boards” are printed on the underside in green. The boards were sold at Beachwear Outlet, Bargain Beachwear, Beach Village Inc., FJ Health & Beauty, Mor USA Inc., Shipwreck-Ocean Jewels, Walmart and Wilcor International Inc. from January 2009 through May 2009 for about $4.

According to the CPSC, the green surface coating of the screened logo “Big Lizard™ body boards” on the underside of the body board contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The recalled body boards should be returned to their place of purchase, or consumers may contact JGR Copa for a full refund. For additional information, call JGR Copa at (800) 345-4408 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.jgrcopa.com.

Lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems in children and unborn children. Even at very low levels, lead is harmful to children’s health and at elevated blood lead levels children experience neurological problems, anemia, lower IQ scores, and shortened attention spans. At elevated levels, children can suffer from comas, seizures, and death.

Young Artists Easels Recalled for Lead Paint Standard Violations

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

About 10,000 Young Artist Easels, manufactured by MacPherson’s of Emeryville, California have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels have been recalled because the chalkboard surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported; however, of note, adverse health reactions resulting from exposure are not generally immediately evident.

As we have often written, lead is considered by many experts to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

This recall involves a children’s art easel, which has a chalkboard surface on one side and a white board surface on the other side. The item number is AA13301 and the UPC number is 082435133010, which can be found on the original packaging. The recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels were sold at art supply stores nationwide and online from July 2004 through June 2009 for about $75.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately take these recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels away from children and contact the firm to receive a free replacement chalkboard panel. MacPherson’s can be reached toll-free at 1-866-319-5335 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, at the firm’s Web site at www.art-alternatives.com/recall, or by email to recall@macphersonart.com

The recalled MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels were manufactured in China. Of note, defective imports from China have been making headlines in recent years; this recall of defective MacPherson’s Young Artist Easels is another of many such issues on which we have been writing.

In 2008, nearly 80 percent of all product recalls in the United States involved imports from China. Products such as dog food, baby formula, toys with lead paint, and even pharmaceuticals like heparin have been found to have been made with toxic materials and other counterfeit ingredients that have long been putting United States consumers at significant risk. Also making news is the ongoing Chinese drywall disaster involving imports from that country.

Lead in Artificial Turf Concerns Senator

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Lead tainted artificial turf athletic fields have caught the attention of one US Senator, who has asked the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to expand its investigation into the problem. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has also asked the agency to provide recommendations on how parents can protect children who play on artificial grass fields, lawns and playgrounds.

The CPSC began investigating artificial turf in April, after health officials in New Jersey closed down three fields in that state after detecting what they found to be unexpectedly high levels of lead in the synthetic turf, raising concerns that athletes could swallow or inhale fibers or dust from turf surfaces.

Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that artificial turf fields containing worn or faded turf blades made of nylon or nylon-blend fibers and nylon fields with visible dust be tested. In its advisory, the CDC stated, “As determined by New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, limited sampling of additional athletic fields in New Jersey and commercial products indicates that artificial turf made of nylon or nylon/polyethylene blend fibers contains levels of lead that pose a potential public health concern.”

Earlier this week, The Center for Environmental Health, a California-based advocacy group, conducted its own lead testing of artificial turf, as well as indoor/outdoor carpeting, artificial lawns and playground grass made with nylon and polyethylene. The group classified the amount of lead as excessive if it exceeded 600 parts per million, which is the maximum allowable in paint. About 50 products were tested, and at least 15 were found to have high lead levels. In one test, lead was so accessible, it could be wiped away with a cloth.

The Center for Environmental Health has begun notifying 15 turf manufacturers and retailers - including the maker of Astro Turf, Ace Hardware and Lowe’s - of its intent to sue under California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act unless the companies agree to recall the products or reformulate artificial turf so it contains less lead.

Test Artificial Turf for Lead, CDC Says

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just issued a recommendation that some artificial turf athletic fields be tested for lead. This follows April’s move by US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) where it was reviewing possible risks linked to lead with artificial turf currently installed in schools, parks, and stadiums nationwide. At that time, health officials closed down two fields in New Jersey after detecting what they found to be unexpectedly high levels of lead in the synthetic turf, raising concerns that athletes could swallow or inhale fibers or dust from turf surfaces.

Attention was focused on New Jersey after state health authorities discovered lead while investigating whether runoff from a scrap-metal operation in Newark had contaminated an adjacent playing field. The three New Jersey fields were voluntarily ripped up.

The CDC recommends fields containing worn or faded turf blades made of nylon or nylon-blend fibers and nylon fields with visible dust be tested. And, while the artificial turf industry denied its products are dangerous, tests confirm lead in turf can be absorbed by humans. The tests conducted by New Jersey health officials found potentially hazardous lead levels on worn nylon and nylon-blend athletic fields. In its current advisory, the CDC states, "As determined by New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, limited sampling of additional athletic fields in New Jersey and commercial products indicates that artificial turf made of nylon or nylon/polyethylene blend fibers contains levels of lead that pose a potential public health concern."

Use of artificial turf has grown exponentially in recent years and is seen as a way to cut costs and water use. But, lead chromate pigment is sometimes used to make the grass green and maintain its color in sunlight. It remains unclear how widely the compound is used; however, the New Jersey Health Department found lead in both of the nylon fields it tested which were Astro Turf brand surfaces. Additional tests are being done to better understand the absorption of lead from turf products.

The artificial turf industry has said its products are safe because the lead used to color the turf is encapsulated within the blades, but state authorities requested more comprehensive testing on a federal level and the CPSC agreed and is looking into the possible health hazards of lead in artificial turf installed at schools, parks, and stadiums across the country. According to the Synthetic Turf Council, there are approximately 3,500 synthetic playing fields made of various materials—including nylon and polyethylene—nationwide; about 800 are installed annually at schools, colleges, parks, and stadiums.

The CDC says to minimize risk of lead exposure, field managers should water down fields and use other dust-suppression measures and recommends thoroughly washing hands and showering immediately after contact with turf, turning clothes inside out and washing them separately from other laundry. Athletic shoes be left outside and drinking containers should be covered and kept in a bag or cooler when not in use.

Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Adult Crime

Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Researchers are now reporting that lead exposure in early childhood, even as early as in the womb, can lead to permanent brain damage and may cause criminal behavior. Two separate studies indicate that people with high levels of lead in childhood grew up with not only blocks of missing brain cells, but with a propensity for crime, some violent. As a matter-of-fact, the lead effect is so strong it may account for a large percentage of inner-city area crimes, where old houses are likelier to have lead paint, according to Kim Dietrich of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. Dietrich led one of the studies in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.

"There are some data that suggest that, in fact, lead does run in parallel with crime trends over the past several decades," Dietrich said. In collaboration with colleagues, Dietrich signed up pregnant women who lived in lead-contaminated Cincinnati neighborhoods between 1979 and 1984. Researchers tested the women and their children from birth, continuing to follow the children. Researchers correlated blood-lead level data from 250 of the children to criminal arrest records and found those with high lead levels before birth and during early childhood had higher arrest rates compared to those with lower lead levels. About 55 percent of the now-grown children had at least one arrest, 28 percent involving drugs and 27 percent involving serious motor vehicle violations. "Lower income, inner-city children remain particularly vulnerable to lead exposure," Dietrich said. "Although we've made great strides in reducing lead exposure, our findings send a clear message that further reduction of childhood lead exposure may be an important and achievable way to reduce violent crime,” Dietrich added.

Dietrich’s colleague, Dr. Kim Cecil of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans on the brains of the volunteers and discovered over one percent of total gray matter in their brains was missing. "The most affected regions included frontal gray matter, specifically the anterior cingulate cortex," Cecil's team wrote in a second study. This region of the brain is responsible for mood regulation and decision-making. The study also found that men were far more affected than women. "Our findings also suggest that this structural change is permanent," they wrote. "Usually the effects of lead poisoning are irreversible,” Dietrich said.

Despite the numerous scares involving lead in water, imported toys, and some medications in recent months, Dietrich said that lead paint is the greatest source of poisoning and that the mothers studied probably had lead in their bodies from their own childhoods, exposing their babies in the womb. “Many also grew up in these neighborhoods," Dietrich said.

In a third, unrelated study, a team of University of Pittsburgh researchers showed adults can be inoculated with a second wave of lead as they age. Lisa Morrow and colleagues showed that lead can leach into the blood from bones as people age and lose bone mass. This study is documented in the Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health.

Second Mine Reports High Lead Levels, This Time in Children

Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Concerns over lead contamination forced one international mining company, Ivernia Inc. of Canada, to shut down its Magellan lead mine in Western Australia after lead residue was blamed for killing thousands of birds. Now, 45 children living in the Australian mining town of Mount Isa, near the Xstrata Plc, have been found to have blood lead levels over World Health Organization standards. The Mount Isa Xstrata mine produces four percent of the world's lead. The town of Mount Isa is about 800 miles—1,300 kilometers—northwest of the Queensland city of Brisbane and is adjacent to Xstrata's zinc, lead, copper, and silver mining operation.

Swiss-based Xstrata and local and state governments now face legal action from the parents of a six-year-old Mount Isa girl who has suffered injuries to her brain and nervous system which seem to be linked to lead exposure from the town's mine. Also, a Queensland state health department study of 400 children confirmed preliminary findings that identified high lead levels in the Mount Isa children. The study was released last month.

Xstrata acquired the Mount Isa operations—a complex of mines and smelters that mass-released millions of metric tons of copper, lead, zinc, coal, and silver when it bought MIM Holdings Ltd. in 2003. In 2006, Mount Isa produced 210,000 metric tons of zinc in concentrates and 120,000 metric tons of lead in concentrates. London-listed Xstrata said it does not expect to cease or curtail lead mining operations at Mount Isa and claims that it is committed to reducing lead emissions from its mine and currently operates 15 lead monitoring stations around the town. Xstrata is removing old mine sediment that has contaminated the nearby Leichhardt River.

Lead poisoning is difficult to recognize due to its subtle symptoms and that no pathognomonic—or definitive—indicators exist or point to contamination. Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting—and generally without diarrhea—constipation, and changes in activity level. Affected children can also be iron deficient and pale due to anemia and can be either hyperactive or lethargic. There may also be dental pointers, such as lead lines on gingival tissue. In adults there may be motor problems, an increase in depressive disorders, aggressive behavior, and other maladaptive affective disorders as well as problems with sexual performance, impotence and infertility, and increased fetal wastage and sleep disorders.

Lead Poisoning Poses Serious Threat to Children

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Many consider lead poisoning to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

Lead poisoning is said to be the most common environmental illness in children in the US and—although it occurs in all groups—its frequency varies with age, socioeconomic status, community population, race, and the age of the home. According to the 1997 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 16.4% of children living in cities with over a million people and in homes built before 1946 have elevated lead levels. Adults develop lead poisoning as the result of occupational exposure, such as from work or a hobby.

A major challenge with lead poisoning is the difficulty in recognizing its subtle symptoms and that no pathognomonic—or definitive—indicators exist or point to contamination. When faced with peculiar symptoms that do not match any one particular disease, lead poisoning should be considered. Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting—and generally without diarrhea—constipation, and changes in activity level. A child with lead toxicity be iron deficient and pale because of anemia and can be either hyperactive or lethargic. There may also be dental pointers, for instance, lead lines on gingival tissue. In adults there may be motor problems and an increase in depressive disorders, aggressive behavior, and other maladaptive affective disorders as well as problems with sexual performance, impotence and infertility, as well as increased fetal wastage and sleep disorders, either. They may be over sleeping or have difficulty falling asleep.

Over 900 occupations have been associated with lead use and poisoning and there are many reports of lead poisoning from retained bullet or shrapnel fragments; history of military or other trauma may be important. Occupations tend to include lead and scrap metal workers, welders, and glassmakers. Parents in any of these occupations may bring lead dust into the home, exposing children. Some hobbies are associated with lead exposures, such as making bullets and fishing weights, soldering, indoor firearm shooting, and remodeling older homes. Some cosmetics and folk remedies contain lead pigments or salts and some reports have documented cases of childhood lead poisoning from the ingestion of lead-based foreign bodies. Lead dissolves quickly in acid solutions such as in the stomach, allowing significant amounts of lead to be absorbed into the body. Illicit alcohol, such as moonshine, has also been linked to lead poisoning.

Early Exposure to Lead, Pollution Might Contribute to Mental Decline in Old Age

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Several intriguing studies have found an association between exposure to lead and other pollutants early in life and the mental decline of older people. The new work suggests long-ago lead exposure can make an aging person’s brain work as if it’s five years older than it really is. It also means that some of the mental decline in older people, thought of as a "natural" consequence of aging, might be avoidable.

Virtually all Americans have lead in their blood, but the amounts are far lower today than in the past. That's because the US began phasing out lead in gasoline from 1976 to 1991. Because of that and measures to eliminate lead in other products, the average lead level in the blood of American adults fell 30 percent by 1980 and about 80 percent by 1990. But several studies conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan indicate that some people might be suffering from lead exposure they experienced decades ago.

In 2006, researchers at Michigan published a study of about 1,000 Baltimore residents. They were ages 50 to 70, old enough to have absorbed plenty of lead before it disappeared from gasoline. Bone scans were used to determine their lead levels. The scientists found that the higher the lifetime lead dose, the poorer the performance across a wide variety of mental functions, like verbal and visual memory and language ability. From low to high dose, the difference in mental functioning was about the equivalent of aging by two to six years.

Another study conducted at the University of Michigan in 2004 looked at 466 men with an average age of 67. Those men took a mental ability test twice, about four years apart on average. Those with the highest bone lead levels showed more decline between exams than those with smaller levels, with the effect of the lead equal to about five years of aging.

Studies of other pollutants have also found a link between exposure and age-related diseases. Studies on infant mice exposed to chemicals like PCBs show only very subtle effects in young adulthood. But more dramatic harm in areas like movement and learning appears when they reach old age. Animal studies also show clear evidence that being exposed to harmful substances in the womb can harm health later on. For example, rodents that encounter PCBs or dioxins before birth are more susceptible to cancer once they grow up.

Nobody is claiming that lead or pollution exposure is the sole cause of age-related mental decline, but it appears to be one of several factors involved. Exactly how earlier lead exposure might lead to age-related mental impairment is not known. And no one has determined if anything can be done to help people who have absorbed a lot of lead over a lifetime.

Christmas Lights Could Expose Children to Toxic Lead

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Christmas lights are the latest product to raise lead poisoning concerns. CNN analyzed four common brands of Christmas lights—WalMart, GE, Sylvania, and Phillips—and all revealed lead levels high enough to be dangerous to children.

About 5,000 children are diagnosed with lead poisoning in New York yearly. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system.

CNN's purchased samples of four common brands of Christmas lights and asked an independent New Jersey-based testing organization, Quantex Laboratories, to check for surface lead. Quantex analyzed three strings of lights from each brand and followed the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) standard wipe test for lead in polyvinyl chloride products to determine how much lead in the cords' PVC coating would come off on someone's hands. One of the concerns is that someone will touch the leaded object, eat something, and ingest the lead.

All four brands of lights tested contained surface lead levels far exceeding the CPSC's recommended children's limit of 15 micrograms. Wal-Mart brand lights had the highest levels of surface lead, with levels ranging from 86.6 to 132.7 micrograms. GE lights had levels from 68 to 109.1 micrograms. Sylvania had levels from 59 to 70.3 micrograms. Levels of surface lead in the lights made by Philips ranged from a low of 3.2—well under the 15 microgram limit—to 107.2 in another sample.

Manufacturers do not hide the fact that lead is part of the PVC insulation that is used to insulate and help prevent cracking or crumbling of Christmas light wiring. Lead is used legally to stabilize polyvinyl chloride so it does not deteriorate with time. Lead also acts as a fire retardant. But the levels of surface lead found in these lights surprised Dr. Leo Trasande, a specialist in children's environmental health at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Trasande and many others agree that there is no level at which lead exposure is safe and states that even one microgram/deciliter—the lowest detectable level in a person's blood stream—has been associated with cognitive impairment in children.

The four companies expressed concern about safety, but stood by their products and sighted stringent Underwriters Laboratories (UL)— which sets the standards for electrical coatings—safety and quality regulations. The CPSC insists Christmas lights do not pose an elevated danger of lead exposure to children and a CPSC spokeswoman vigorously criticized the CNN tests. The argument is that children should not be playing with and handling Christmas lights. In a prior interview, not a response to CNN's tests, the CPSC warned that children should keep away from Christmas lights because they are electrical products, not toys.

UL, which inspects tree lights for electrical and fire hazards, said there are substitutes for lead which can be used in the insulation, such as calcium and zinc, but those options would be more expensive to manufacture.

ADHD Linked to So-Called "Safe" Lead Levels

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Lead levels once considered safe could be putting some children at risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) says a new study. The research, conducted by the University of Michigan, is sure to cause concerns among parents already made anxious by this year's record number of recalls for lead-tainted toys.

Lead exposure is especially dangerous for children under 6 because they are still growing, and their brains are developing. If lead is ingested, it can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and even death. The symptoms of lead poisoning often mimic other illnesses. They include irritability; loss of appetite; weight loss; sluggishness; abdominal pain; vomiting; constipation and pallor from anemia. There are often no signs that a child has been exposed to lead, and a blood test is the only way to determine if someone is suffering from lead poisoning.

The University of Michigan study looked at 150 Lansing-area children with and without ADHD. According to the study, all of the children tested positive for some lead in their blood, although none had levels higher than the 10 micrograms per deciliter level currently considered unsafe by the Centers for Disease Control. Children with ADHD had higher levels of lead in the blood than those without the disorder, according to the study. The average blood lead level of children with ADHD in the MSU study was less than 1.3 mcg/dl.

The research findings support a growing body of national evidence suggesting there is no safe level of lead in the blood, said Joel Nigg, professor of psychology at Michigan State and study director. While the "safe" level for lead in the blood was lowered from 25 mcg/dl to 10 mcg/ld in 1991, some scientists are now calling for the level to be dropped to 5 mcg/dl or even lower. The link between ADHD and blood lead levels will also increase calls tougher regulations on items that contain lead and other harmful elements that can get into the food supply or local environment of children - from cosmetics to cleaning supplies to electronic goods.

This latest study will surely increase the anxiety of parents already concerned that their children have been exposed to dangerously high levels of lead found in some toys. This year, millions of Chinese-made toys have been recalled due to lead paint. Toy giant Mattel has issued 3 separate toy recalls for lead hazards and other problems. In June, the RC2 Company recalled more than 1 million lead-tainted Thomas and Friends toy trains. Children's jewelry and character notebooks have also been recalled for the same reason. Just this week, a consumer group published survey that found that hundreds of toys available for sale in stores contained dangerously high levels of lead.

The results of the University of Michigan ADHD study will be published in the February issue of Biological Psychiatry.

Lead in Lipstick Report Draws FDA Attention

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Red lipstick could be doing more than giving users a pretty pout. New research says that the cosmetic could also be exposing millions of women to high levels of toxic lead. Those surprising findings from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have now prompted the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to launch an investigation into the lead contained in US-made lipsticks.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics hired an independent lab to test a variety of popular red lipsticks, and announced the results of those tests last week. None of the lipsticks tested had lead listed as an ingredient. But according to the consumer advocacy group, of 33 lipsticks tested, 61% had high lead levels. The lead in these lipsticks ranged from 0.03 parts per million to 0.65 parts per million. According to the organization’s press release, at least a third of the lipsticks tested exceeded the FDA’s 0.1 parts per million limit for lead in candy.   The FDA has never set a limit for lead in lipstick even though it is eventually ingested into the body.

According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, cost does not seem to affect the levels of lead in lipsticks. Revlon, at $7.49 per tube one of the least expensive brands tested, contained no detectible lead. Meanwhile, the more expensive Dior Addict brand ($24.50) had a lead level of 0.21 parts per million. Other lipsticks with high lead levels included L’Oreal Colour Riche in “True Red” and “Classic Wine” and Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red”.

Lead is a known neurotoxin, and repeated exposure can cause learning disabilities, language and behavioral problems, lowered IQs and increased aggression. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead, because the toxin crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain.   Lead has also been linked to infertility and miscarriage.

Following the release of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report, the FDA had initially said that it had no plans to investigate the presence of lead in lipstick or any other cosmetic. A spokesperson for the agency had told the Associated Press that the FDA had received other reports of lead in lipstick, but said those were mostly “urban legends”.   But later, the FDA said that it would look into the charges raised by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.   A spokesperson told the Associated Press that in doing so, the FDA "will need to confirm the factual basis of these reports independently in order to determine what action, if any, may be needed to protect public health."

For its part, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics stands by its findings. The group is calling on the FDA to set limits for lead in all cosmetics, and it has called on lipstick manufacturers to reformulate their lead-containing products.

Lead in Toys Would be Banned Under Proposed Legislation

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

A US Senator wants lead banned from children’s toys, and has recently introduced a bill she says would accomplish that goal. Many Americans believe that lead is already banned in toys, but in reality only lead paint is forbidden. Right now, the Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) lead standards limit lead in other toy components to .06 parts per million. But those standards are voluntary, and many critics say that the limit, based on old scientific research, is too high.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) has introduced a bill that would treat lead in any children’s products as a banned hazardous substance. Klobuchar says that such a move would make virtually any lead illegal. Klobuchar’s legislation would lower maximum trace levels for the toxic metal to .02 parts-per-million for children’s jewelry and .04 parts-per-million for other toys.

Lead, which can cause brain damage and other health problems if ingested by children, has been responsible for a wave of toy recalls in recent months. On August 1, Fisher-Price recalled millions of popular character toys, including Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants, for high levels of lead. Within five weeks, Fisher-Price’s parent company, Mattel, Inc. had issued two more recalls for hazardous toys, many of which were made with lead paint. Children’s jewelry and other toys have also been recalled because of the toxic metal.

Of all toys, children’s jewelry has been especially troublesome. Lead-tainted children’s jewelry and trinkets have caused serious lead poisoning in at least 7 children in the past 10 years. Last year, 4-year-old Jarnell Brown of Minneapolis died after swallowing a charm that was 99-percent lead. The CPSC has been trying to eliminate lead from children’s trinkets and jewelry for several years, but such products keep showing up in stores, endangering countless children. Now, the CPSC wants to limit the amount of lead allowed in children’s jewelry to .06 parts per million – the same standard it sets for other toys. But critics say the proposed CPSC regulations are toothless. Like most toys the CPSC regulates, testing of jewelry for lead content won’t be mandatory.

Klobuchar also introduced legislation that she said would make recalls easier to implement. It would require that all toys and toy packages include stamps that would allow parents to more easily identify toys involved in a recall. The bill would also make it illegal to resell recalled toys. Recalled toys often turn up in thrift stores, garage sales and online auctions.

Klobuchar said that she hopes her bills become part of a comprehensive package of toy safety legislation. She is scheduled to give testimony at a Senate hearing on toy safety today. The CEOs of Toys ‘R’ Us and Mattel, along with commissioners from the CPSC, will also be appearing before the committee.

CPSC Readies New Lead Regulations for Children's Jewelry, But Will They Be Enough?

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Lead-tainted children’s jewelry and trinkets have caused serious lead poisoning in at least 7 children in the past 10 years. Last year, 4-year-old Jarnell Brown of Minneapolis died after swallowing a charm that was 99-percent lead. Lead is especially prevalent in children’s jewelry and trinkets – items many small children are apt to put in their mouths. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has decided to try to put an end to this problem, and for the first time, the agency has proposed regulating lead in children’s jewelry.

Regulating lead in children’s jewelry is an idea whose time came long ago. Despite the fact that lead in children’s jewelry started to become worrisome in the 1990s, the CPSC did not take any sort of action until 2003. Then, the CPSC went from referring to the lead hazard posed by children’s jewelry as “exposure” to “poisoning.” At that time, the CPSC also changed its stance that lead in jewelry was allowed as long as it wasn’t “accessible” – meaning that it was ok if it was coated by paint or another substance. Now, the CPSC wants to limit the amount of lead allowed in children’s jewelry to 600 parts per million – the same limits that are placed on paint and other toys. But critics say the proposed CPSC regulates are toothless. Like most toys the CPSC regulations, testing of jewelry for lead content won’t be mandatory. And because the law leaves testing to manufacturers, there’s no way to know if they are being truthful. And many experts say that the level of 600 parts per million is still too much and is based on outdated research, leading to calls to completely revise all of the CPSC’s lead limits.

The use of lead of lead paint in toys has had the public’s attention for much of the summer due to several high-profile toy recalls. This week, toy-giant Mattel issued its third recall of lead-painted toys in a little over a month. And lead paint has been behind recalls of Thomas the Tank Engine toy trains, Spongebob Squarepants notebooks, Toys ‘R’ Us coloring cases and other toys this year. Most of the lead-tainted toys have been imported from China, and several members of Congress have called for testing of all toy imports. Others want all children’s toys, regardless of origin, subject to mandatory testing.

But critics of the CPSC say that none of these measures will help if the agency doesn’t get more funding and authority. The CPSC has fewer than 100 inspectors nationwide to monitor store shelves for defective items. And though the CPSC can impose fines on companies who willfully unleash defective products on American consumers, those fines are capped at under $2 million – pocket change for corporations that rack up millions of dollars in sales each day.

While there is disagreement over solutions to the problem of lead in children’s toys, everyone agrees that lead in jewelry and other toys is a serious threat to children. About 20,000 children were treated in emergency rooms for swallowing jewelry between 2000 and 2005. And almost 300,000 US children under 6 have lead levels higher than 10, putting them at risk for brain damage, learning disabilities and other problems. This is unacceptable, especially because lead has been banned from children’s toys for nearly 30 years. What impact this lead exposure will have on children is not entirely clear - because lead can linger in the body for years, it could be some times before the consequence of this tragedy are completely apparent.

Toys, trinkets still expose children to lead

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Most people know about the dangers of lead paint, especially if they have children and an older house. What they probably don't expect is that the toys and trinkets they can buy today might also have toxic levels of lead in them.

Target announced a recall of more than 190,000 Kool Toyz-brand products Tuesday, in part because they were found to contain lead paint. Unfortunately, recalls like that are hardly rare.

In November, 3,000 "Cars" toy storage benches sold by Toys "R" Us were recalled for the same reason lead paint.

And in March, Reebok recalled 300,000 lead charm bracelets after a 4-year-old died from lead poisoning after swallowing one.

For people accustomed to seeing unsafe products banned from the marketplace discovering that some toys were made with dangerous ingredients can be a shock.

Lead poisoning rarely leads to death, but it's especially dangerous because it can often go undetected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems that doctors may not associate with a child's environment.

Once a person is diagnosed with lead poisoning, though, the CDC, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development will try to determine the source, which might be paint chips or dust, drinking water from lead pipes, or a toy.

There are, in fact, two regulations that deal with lead in household products. The Consumer Product Safety Act effectively bans lead paint, and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act bans products with high levels of accessible lead in products children might be exposed to.

But just because they're banned here doesn't mean they're banned elsewhere, and there is no official mechanism for screening the products as they enter the country, especially when we're talking about billions of inexpensive toys.

"A lot of the stuff we buy in this country is manufactured abroad, and they don't have the same standards," said Bob Clement, neighborhood services coordinator for Roanoke's department of Housing and Neighborhood Services. He works with the city's Lead-Safe Roanoke program.

The toys Target recalled were made in China, but the toy benches sold by Toys "R" Us came from New York.

Unlike big-ticket, big-brand-name items such as cars or televisions, smaller products that don't meet U.S. standards often slip through the cracks.

"We don't have the authority to pre-approve products on the market," explained Patty Davis, spokeswoman for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Instead, the CPSC relies on private industry to essentially police itself.

"Manufacturers, retailers, and importers are expected to abide by the laws of the United States," she said.

With symptoms easily misdiagnosed doctors thought the boy who swallowed the Reebok charm had gastroenteritis -- parents have few ways to know whether their children have chewed or swallowed something with too much lead.

"I think the first thing anyone needs to do if they have kids is have them tested for lead," Clement said. "I would make it part of the kid's physical."

Beyond that, there's little a parent can do besides keep up with the CPSC's recall notices.

"It's not fair to a kid who doesn't know any better to be exposed to these conditions," Clement said. "They're the innocent victims in all this."

Asbestos, lead remain serious health hazards in the home

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0800

When thinking about our health, few of us consider the possible hazards associated with where we live. In this two-part series, we'll look at several substances related to the home that may pose a significant health threat but are usually not evident to a casual inspection.

For example, asbestos insulation or lead-based paints may be found in older homes. Radon gas could seep silently into a home of any age. Faulty heaters or poorly vented wood stoves could release carbon monoxide into the air. A home built on land previously used for industrial purposes could mean that there is hazardous waste buried on the property.

Although primarily used in the setting of public and commercial buildings, some asbestos has been used in the construction of private homes. Asbestos has been linked with severe respiratory disease and the development of cancers of the lung and pleura (the fibrous lining of the lung). Masses of asbestos fibers tend to break into a dust of nearly invisible particles that float in the air, cling to clothing and are easily inhaled.

The amount of lung damage depends of the quantity of asbestos fibers inhaled and the length of exposure.

From 1930 through the late 1970s, asbestos was used to provide excellent insulation as well as in the manufacture of vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring, patching compounds, textured paint roofing materials and even some appliances. However, asbestos in these products usually is not a hazard as long as the product remains intact, since the dangerous inhalable fibers are only released when the material is broken up.

Most asbestos-containing products that are intact should be left alone. If the product is slightly damaged or beginning to show signs of wear, it is generally best to simply cover the involved area. Products containing asbestos should only be removed if they are significantly damaged or crumbling, or if they will be disturbed during remodeling or demolition.

If you are not sure whether a product in your home contains asbestos, ask the manufacturer or original installer. If this is not possible, you can hire an experienced consultant to determine whether there is any asbestos present. If you see debris that might contain asbestos, do not sweep or dust it. Do not vacuum the material, since asbestos fibers are so small that they are not trapped by the vacuum cleaner but instead pass through the filter and return to the air.

Never try to remove asbestos yourself. Always employ an experienced contractor who has had appropriate training and will take all necessary steps to make certain that asbestos fibers are properly trapped and do not enter the air that you will be breathing.

For further information about asbestos, you can contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at (800) 368-5888 and ask for a referral to your regional asbestos coordinator.

Lead in paint

Despite the banning of lead-based paints in 1978, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that there are still approximately 12 million homes (built before 1980) that have lead-based paint. Approximately 10 percent of these are occupied by children younger than 7 years of age. Experts claim that about two thirds of homes occupied by young children have excessive exposure to lead-based paint and dust. Thus, despite the overall decline of elevated levels of lead in the population, lead intoxication still remains a problem for the poor, nonwhite, low-income children of the inner cities.

Low-income children who often live in poor-quality homes end up exposed to the most concentrated sources of lead — dust and paint from deteriorating housing. In addition to lead-based paints, soil and dust contaminated by lead from gasoline emissions and industrial sources also are potentially dangerous to young children prone to ingesting foreign objects and might inhale this toxic dust.

Congress has addressed the problem by passing the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazards Reduction Act of 1992. This law requires that any time a home is sold, remodeled or renovated, there must be a disclosure of information on the amount of lead in the home.

Removing lead-based paint should be left to professionals, since it is a delicate and even dangerous undertaking. Trying to remove lead yourself could create an even worse problem.

Lead can also be found in drinking water. Lead solder on copper pipes was not banned until the late 1980s, and some faucet manufacturers continue to use lead washers in their products (though the major companies have agreed to end this practice). Home testing kits are available through the non-profit Environmental Law Foundation in Oakland, (510) 208-4555.

Exposure to lead can cause significant problems, especially for children during the developmental years when their nervous systems are rapidly maturing. Initially, lead poisoning may go unnoticed. The child may suffer from colicky abdominal pain, headaches, constipation and irritability. Severe lead poisoning can lead to convulsions or coma. Long-term effects include developmental delay, hearing and intellectual impairment, behavioral problems, short stature, neuropathy and anemia. A single exposure to lead should not pose any health problem.

However, continued exposure can result in blood levels that are high enough to require treatment. In general, the higher the lead level and the later the problem is discovered, the greater the chance of an unfavorable outcome.

Miss. Supreme Court to hear lead paint case

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700

The Mississippi Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of a mother and son who lost a lawsuit that claimed Sherwin Williams Co. was responsible for the lead paint that made the boy sick.

The suit was filed in 2000 in Jefferson County Circuit Court by Shermeker Pollard of Fayette on behalf of herself and her son, Trellvion Gaines, who was then 9.

The issue before the Supreme Court is whether Trellvion and Pollard waited too long to file their lawsuit. There is no timetable for the justices to decide the case.

However, their decision could affect other cases involving underage plaintiffs, said an attorney who represents Pollard and Gaines.

"This case is important because it will determine how the courts will apply the minor savings statute, and when the statute will run against the minor," the plantiffs attorney said.

A trial judge ruled in favor of the Cleveland, Ohio-based paint manufacturer in June 2003.

Sherwin Williams contended that Pollard knew about Trellvion's alleged injuries in 1994 and had only until 1997 to pursue the lawsuit under Mississippi's statute of limitations.

The state Court of Appeals upheld the lower court decision in 2005, siding with the paint manufacturer.

"They indicated that the mother had learned that Trellvion had been exposed to lead paint in 1994 when one of his elevated blood level tests was taken. The mother would have had three years to file her individual claim from the date she knew she had injury," Porter said of the appeals court ruling.

However, the plantiffs attorney believes the statute of limitation still covers Trellvion.

"Generally speaking, you have three years from the date that a guardian was appointed. In this case, his mother was appointed guardian on the same date that the lawsuit was filed," Porter said.

The statute of limitation issue is not one lawyers in other states often face when litigating lead poisoning cases, said one Boston attorney, who has argued several cases against the paint manufacturing industry.

"When it comes to kids in most states, in particular in the states in which I work, the statute doesn't begin to run until the child reaches the age of maturity," the Boston attorney said.

In the Pollard lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege Trellvion ingested lead paint chips while living in a house that had been occupied by Pollard's mother, Doris Gaines, since the 1970s.

Lead paint was banned in the United States in 1978, but can be found in some older homes and rundown housing.

The lawsuit alleged that "Trellvion was exposed to lead dust, chips and other debris which resulted from the sanding, scraping and other removal of lead paint from the house, which occurred based on the required procedure for application of Sherwin Williams' non-lead based paint."

The suit also alleged that Trellvion became sick from his exposure to the lead paint and that Pollard suffered mental anguish in addition to the medical expenses for the child.

Rhode Island Jury Finds Three Lead Paint Manufacturers Liable of Creating a Dangerous Public Nuisance that Continues to Poison Children

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800

In a landmark verdict in Rhode Island, a jury has found that three former lead paint manufacturers created a “public nuisance” that continues to poison children. The verdict on the issue of liability paves the way for a potential damage award of millions of dollars in cleanup and mitigation costs.

Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein will decide if, and how much, the companies should pay.

The state argued that lead paint has poisoned tens of thousands of children over the last decade and contaminated hundreds of thousands of homes. Rhode Island was the first state to sue the lead paint industry in 1999. This trial lasted over three months.

The sale of lead paint has been banned in the United States since 1978 after studies revealed that the highly toxic heavy metal can cause serious, permanent neurological problems in children. Unfortunately, lead-based paint remains in many older homes across the state, as well as nationwide.

Of the four companies involved in the suit, the three companies jurors found responsible are Sherwin-Williams Co., NL Industries Inc., and Millennium Holdings, while jurors found that Atlantic Richfield Co., was not responsible.

Three Lead Paint Makers Are Found Guilty

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Three former makers of lead paint created a public nuisance that continues to poison children, a jury decided Wednesday in the state's landmark lawsuit against the companies.

The verdict means the companies that once made lead paint and pigment could be held responsible for millions of dollars in cleanup and mitigation costs, though the state never put a dollar value on its lawsuit.

Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein will decide later how much, if anything, the companies must pay.

The state argued that lead paint created a sweeping public nuisance that has poisoned tens of thousands of children since the early 1990s and contaminated hundreds of thousands of homes.

The sale of lead paint was banned in the United States in 1978 after studies showed it can cause serious health problems in children. But in Rhode Island, which has an old housing stock, lead paint still exists in many homes.

In 1999, Rhode Island became the first state to sue the lead paint industry.

The first trial ended in 2002 with a hung jury. The jury in the latest trial began deliberating Feb. 13 following more than three months of trial.

Jurors Wednesday found one of the four companies named in the suit, Atlantic Richfield Co., was not responsible. But it they found the three others were: Sherwin-Williams Co., NL Industries Inc. and Millennium Holdings.

The companies rested without calling any of their own witnesses, and their lawyers said during closing arguments that the state had failed to prove its case.

The state brought in doctors, who described how low levels of lead can be dangerous to a child and how lead-poisoned children can suffer behavioral disorders, gastrointestinal pain, brain damage and even death.

It's attorneys argued that the companies or their corporate predecessors continued to manufacture lead pigment for use in paint even when they its potential dangers.

The companies said lead paint remained a problem in only a narrow subsection of poorly maintained properties. They also said paint is not the only source of lead exposure and argued that the state did not prove a clear link between the lead pigment they made and children who were poisoned by lead in Rhode Island.

Jurors were asked to decide whether the presence of paint creates a public nuisance and, if so, whether the companies significantly contributed to the nuisance and should be required to help fix the problem.

The state wants the companies to pay for a program that would include home inspections, lead paint removal or abatement and public education. It did not estimate a cost.

Last June, the state agreed to drop DuPont Co. from the lawsuit after the company said it would pay several million dollars to the nonprofit group Children's Health Forum for lead paint remediation, public education, and compliance programs in Rhode Island.

CPSC and Delta Enterprise Corp. Announce Recall of Certain Cribs Sold at Toys R Us Stores for High Levels of Lead Paint

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Delta Enterprise Corp., of New York, N.Y., has announced a voluntary recall of about 335 Lov’s “Europa” Natural Color Cribs manufactured in Indonesia by Delta Enterprise Corp. of New York, N.Y. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately.

The cribs paint contains high levels of lead. Lead poisoning in children is associated with behavioral problems, learning disabilities, hearing problems and growth retardation. No incidents or injuries have been reported.
The cribs are made of wood and are natural color. Only cribs that are labeled Lov’s Europa with “Style # 4827-2 M.F.G. No.: W 24088 Date: 22 JUN 2004” are included in the recall. The brand, style and date code are printed on a label attached to the mattress support platform.

The cribs were sold exclusively at Toys R Us nationwide from July 2004 through August 2005 for about $200.
Consumers should stop using the recalled crib immediately and return to retailer where purchased for a credit or refund.

For additional information, contact Delta Enterprise Corp. toll-free at (877) 660-3777 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.deltaenterprise.com

Wisconsins Highest Court Permits Mentally Disabled Boy to Sue Multiple Lead Paint Pigment Manufacturers

Mon, 18 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700

In a 4-2 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled that a mentally disabled 15-year-old boy named Steven Thomas may sue a number of companies that produced lead paint pigment he claims caused his impairment. He will be allowed to proceed with his case against all of the manufacturers since he cannot prove which one actually made the actual pigment that may have caused his injuries.

This type of litigation approach has been used with respect to other types of toxic agents and defective medications when a few companies were responsible for all or most of the product or substance involved.

Probably the most famous case where this approach was used was in the massive litigation arising out of the delayed effects of the drug DES (Diethylstilbestrol). This synthetic estrogen, manufactured by a number of pharmaceutical companies between the 1940s and 1970s, was designed to prevent miscarriages.

Unfortunately, the drug has had a devastating effect on the female offspring of mothers who took DES. Cancer, infertility, and other permanent injuries have been linked to DES.

When it came time to sue, however, most of the injured women had no idea which of the drug makers produced the actual pills they or their mothers took decades before.

The courts allowed the injured women to sue all of the manufacturers of DES on the theory that, together, the companies had caused all of the injuries. The concept known as “enterprise liability” permitted the courts to allocate fault according to the “market share” each company enjoyed. Thus, the largest manufacturers of DES paid the highest proportions of the damages.

In a similar approach, for the past six years, the state of Rhode Island has aggressively pursued DuPont Co., and six other companies that formerly manufactured lead pigment paint, for their role in creating a public crisis involving an estimated 36,000 children with unacceptably high levels of the metal.

In 2002, a trial involving the same defendants resulted in a hung jury. The case is presently scheduled to go to trial for a second time in about three months. Besides DuPont Co., the state is suing Con Agra Inc., Atlantic Richfield Co., Millennium Holdings LLC, NL Industries Inc., Sherwin Williams Co., and American Cyanamid Co.

Only two weeks ago, DuPont broke ranks with its codefendants and agreed to pay $12.5 million to several charities in order to buy its peace in the case. While specifically stating that this figure did not represent a settlement, DuPont will make donations to the Children’s Health Forum, Brown University School of Medicine, or the Dana-Farber Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. More than $11 million will go toward education, compliance, and abatement of contaminated homes in Rhode Island.

The remaining defendants have so far been unwilling to settle the claims made by the state. Since Rhode Island became the first government body to bring this type of lawsuit, several other cities have commenced similar actions.

The Wisconsin decision has now paved the way for those who have suffered the type of devastating mental impairment associated with exposure to lead based paint that was used as far back as the early 1900s.
The Wisconsin defendants who will be targeted under this “risk contribution theory” include Sherwin-Williams Co., ConAgra Grocery Products Co., American Cyanamid Co., Atlantic Richfield Co., E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Co., NL Industries Inc., and SCM Chemicals Inc.

Only yesterday, in a related story, a new study, published in the July issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspective, seems to remove any speculation that lead is capable of doing enormous harm to children regardless of how low the exposure may be.

Summing up the essential conclusion of the study, lead author Dr. Bruce Lanphear, director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, stated: "The study indicates there is no threshold for the adverse consequences of children's exposure to lead. We found evidence of intellectual impairments among children with blood lead levels below 10 micrograms per deciliter, the level currently considered acceptable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study indicates that the action level set by the CDC isn't adequate to protect children."

The study analyzed data from 1,333 children, with a wide range of blood lead levels, from around the world from birth or infancy until they were 5 to 10 years old.

The findings showed that even blood lead levels below 7.5 micrograms per deciliter are associated with significant intellectual impairment. In fact, the study found that intellectual impairments caused by low levels of exposure are proportionally greater than those caused by higher exposure levels.

Clearly, the goal must be complete prevention and not merely limiting the level of childhood exposure to lead. Dr. Lanphear stated that this study and other available data are ample proof that the goal should be “to eliminate childhood lead exposure by banning all nonessential uses of lead and further reducing the allowable levels of lead in air emissions, house dust, soil, water and consumer products."

Wisconsins Highest Court Permits Mentally Disabled Boy to Sue Multiple Lead Paint Pigment Manufacturers

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700

REFUSING TO CALL IT A SETTLEMENT, DuPONT BUYS OUT OF RHODE ISLAND LEAD PAINT CASE FOR $12.5 MILLION IN CHARITABLE DONATIONS

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700

For six years, the state of Rhode Island has aggressively pursued DuPont Co., and six other companies that formerly manufactured lead pigment paint, for their role in creating a public crisis involving an estimated 36,000 children with unacceptably high levels of the metal.

In 2002, a trial involving the same defendants resulted in a hung jury. The case is presently scheduled to go to trial for a second time in about three months. Besides DuPont Co., the state is suing Con Agra Inc., Atlantic Richfield Co., Millennium Holdings LLC, NL Industries Inc., Sherwin Williams Co., and American Cyanamid Co.

Now, breaking ranks with its codefendants, DuPont has agreed to pay $12.5 million to several charities in order to buy its peace in the case. While specifically stating that this figure did not represent a settlement, DuPont will make donations to the Children’s Health Forum, Brown University School of Medicine, or the Dana-Farber Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. More than $11 million will go toward education, compliance, and abatement of contaminated homes in Rhode Island.

The remaining defendants have so far been unwilling to settle the claims made by the state. Since Rhode Island became the first government body to bring this type of lawsuit, several other cities have commenced similar actions.

Every Month, Another Child Is Found To Have Been Poisoned By Lead

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Emily Marling's son, Garrett, 4, used to beat himself on the head with his hands. He also would drop to his knees and bang his head on the floor.

Karen Dohner's son, Adam, a second-grader, is restless and has trouble focusing in class.

All three of Belinda Thomas's children, who attend elementary and middle school, have learning disabilities, such as a writing problem and difficulty communicating and remembering things.

All five children experienced lead poisoning, which might have caused or added to their health problems.

Since the late 1970s, when lead paint was banned and the phaseout of lead in gasoline began, lead poisoning of children has decreased significantly, but the problem hasn't gone away.

About one child a month is referred to the Delaware County Health Department with lead poisoning.

During 2003, 1,460 children in Delaware County under the age of six were tested for elevated levels of lead in their blood. Lead poisoning was found in 60 of those kids. Lead poisoning was later confirmed in eight of the 60 children, though more than eight were likely poisoned.

For various reasons, such as moving out of the community or parents failing to understand the importance of following up, a small number of the 60 children were brought back by parents for a second test to confirm the results.

"Lead poisoning is a quiet tragedy, but it's pervasive and very, very sad," said Mary Jean Brown, chief of the childhood lead poisoning prevention program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a conference in Indianapolis in November. "The tragedy, of course, is not that children die, but that children just don't achieve their potential."

Losing IQ points

A child is considered to be lead poisoned if he or she has 10 micrograms of lead per 10 deciliters of blood, or 10 ug/dl.

"We know that children whose blood lead levels move from 10 ug/dl to 20 ug/dl lose on average about three IQ points," said Brown. "I don't know about you, but my IQ points are really important to me. That's the difference between having a bad day and a good day when you take a test."

According to Brown, data suggest there is no safe blood lead level for children.

But if the action level were reduced from 10 ug/dl to, say, 1 ug/dl, that could divert resources from children with higher levels whom officials expect to benefit more from intervention.

The main cause of lead poisoning in children is well known.

"We know it's the paint in older homes, and the older the home is, the more likely it's going to have lead paint hazards," said Maria Larson, director of the state health department's childhood lead poisoning prevention program, during the conference. "Lead still ranks as the No. 1 environmental threat to children in Indiana."

The state department of health has gathered 3,000 addresses state-wide including more than 100 in the Muncie area for older housing in which multiple children have been poisoned by lead.

The department denied a request from The Star Press for a copy of the addresses on grounds that doing so could lead to the identity of the individuals who have lead poisoning (a disease) and put the department in violation of confidentiality laws. Karen Davis, Indiana's public access counselor, found the denial did not violate the state's Access to Public Records Act.

The names and addresses of lead-poisoned children collected by the local WIC office and county health department also were denied to The Star Press because of patient confidentiality.

Residents of older homes

Childhood lead poisoning is usually caused by ingesting or inhaling dust or paint chips from deteriorating lead-based paint in older housing.

Lead can permanently affect the developing central nervous system of young children. It can produce decreased IQ, hyperactivity, decreased attention span, learning disabilities, hearing problems, fatigue, headache, crankiness, and other symptoms. The disease disproportionately impacts minorities and people living in poverty in inner cities.

But as Marling learned, it's not limited to minority, low-income, inner-city residents. She is married to a correctional officer and lives in a house that is more than a century old in the town of Albany. Her son is autistic.

"They were doing all different kinds of blood tests on him at the clinic at Riley Hospital (for Children)," Marling said. "They said they were going to run a lead test just in case. I said, 'That's one thing I know we don't have to worry about.' But they found he had an elevated level of lead. We just didn't know it was happening."

The literature Marling received from a doctor indicated headaches were one symptom of lead poisoning. She suspects lead caused her son to have severe headaches and to bang his head, a practice that stopped after his lead level decreased.

"My advice is to have your kids tested if you live in an older home," Marling said. "It's not just paint chipping, either. Lead also travels in dust around window frames. The dust collects on toys, and they lick them."

Bringing lead levels down

Dohner's child was exposed to lead in their residence in the historic East Central neighborhood of Muncie, where he and his mother still live.

"When lead paint gets old, it's very distinctive," Dohner said. "It breaks up into little squares. I scraped down and repainted all the window sills and did a lot of vacuuming, cleaning and mopping. It must've worked because his lead levels came down."

Dohner also started keeping her son out of the yard of the house next door, which had peeling lead paint on the exterior.

Lead in soil is another source of childhood lead poisoning.

"He is hyperactive," Dohner said of her son, "but that can also be inherited. I'm ADD (attention deficit disorder) myself. But his is definitely worse than mine. He can't sit still. He's always fidgeting, just really hyper all the time. He has trouble sleeping. And he does have a mild learning disability. He has a hard time focusing in class. It's hard to determine what he knows and doesn't know."

'We ended up moving'

All three of Thomas's children have learning disabilities. They were lead-poisoned in a residence near downtown Muncie some 10 years ago, when the kids were all preschoolers.

"The landlord didn't fix the problem, so we ended up moving," Thomas said. "He said it would cost too much. We were basically evicted because of lead poisoning."

At the time, Thomas, who is currently laid off, and her husband, who is disabled, were advised to put their children on a special diet.

Help is available from the Delaware County Health Department to victims of lead poisoning.

In addition, the community has a lead awareness coalition, which employs a health educator, Mary Beth Lambert, for 12 to 15 hours a week.

When the county health department learns of a lead-poisoned child, an environmental scientist and a nurse from the department typically make a visit to the home. The environmental scientist is equipped with a portable X-ray fluorescence instrument that can detect lead in paint.

"Once you get them out of that environment, the lead level will normally come down on its own," said Ann Monroe, nursing supervisor at the health department.

Sometimes, the source of the lead poisoning is not in the home of the child but in the home of a grandparent or a babysitter.

Other than removing a child from a house containing lead-based paint, options include remediation of lead hazards in the house and proper nutrition, hygiene and cleaning.

Lead Poisoning Can Harm Kids

Sat, 22 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800

So you have a little cracked paint around the inside of your windows. Who cares?

You should.

Before it was banned for use in houses in 1978, lead- based paint was commonly used. Unfortunately, banning lead based paint did not remove the existing paint in the homes across Iowa. Whether or not you have a run-down or really well-kept pre-1978 home, you may have lead in the dust, paint or soil in and around your home.

The problem with lead- based paint in your home is children are commonly poisoned by it.

One out of seven of Iowa's children are lead-poisoned. That's three times the national average.

Why is there such a problem in Iowa? We have a large number of homes built prior to 1978, which means if you own one of these homes, assume that you have lead based paint in it. This is not a disease that only affects low- income families or minority families; lead poisoning affects everyone.

Lead can be dangerous in many ways. Some assume that a child must eat lead paint chips to become lead- poisoned, but that is simply not true. The toxin is much more devious than that.

Every time that you open the window or a door that was once painted with lead- based paint, the friction creates microscopic lead dust that gets into the air and your child's lungs as well as onto clothing, toys, furniture and carpets. Every time your child touches the dust and then puts his hand or toy into his mouth, lead is ingested.

Unfortunately, most lead- poisoned children do not show any signs of the disease. And at the same time, lead can be toxic to every organ in a child's body. This poisoning most commonly causes learning disabilities, speech delays and behavioral problems, including aggressiveness.

Physical signs mimic many other childhood illnesses and are not seen until levels are high. Symptoms may include poor appetite, excited behavior, stomach aches and inability to pay attention. Babies' and toddlers' brains grow more rapidly than at any other time in their lives and lead can have a detrimental effect on that. Furthermore, children commonly place toys and hands into their mouths, creating an opportune situation for ingestion and poisoning

Lead-Poisoning Risks Continue

Tue, 04 May 2004 00:00:00 -0700

About 5 percent of North Dakota children become ill from lead poisoning, state Health Department officials estimate.

Ken Wangler, director of the State Health Department's radiation control, the division that oversees lead issues, said the estimate represents the number at any given time and is about the same as the national average.

"Whenever surveys have been done, that's been the norm," he said.

"For years, it was thought that lead-paint poisoning was an issue that was specific to large urban areas," Wangler said. "We don't think that way anymore. "

Although the use of lead in paint was outlawed in 1978, the paint remains in older homes, Wangler said. Also, lead still is used in certain industrial paints that sometimes are used in areas of homes, he said.

Other risks can come from family members' hobbies, such as working with stained glass, fishing weights or making bullets for black powder rifles.

Wangler said he has been involved in a boys club that runs pinewood derbies in which the cars often use lead weights. "Many of those derby cars end up in homes, handled by children," he said.

"There was a recall of imported toy jewelry sold through vending machines because of lead content," said Sandi Washek, the lead-based paint coordinator with the health department.

Lead also has shown up in certain cosmetics from Asia and black licorice candy from Mexico.

The health department has found children with elevated blood lead levels due to lead in vinyl and plastics from imported home furnishings. In one case, a Dickinson child was found to have high lead levels from playing with window blinds next to the crib. In another instance last year, a child had lead exposure from a favorite plate that had lead glazing.

"Not all pediatricians do routine lead screening, often out of the belief that lead exposure isn't occurring," Washek said.

"A lot of times, there are no symptoms, and the parents don't even realize it," she said.

Much of the health department's information about lead poisoning in children comes from Medicaid, which requires screening for lead in youngsters.

The treatment for lead poisoning depends on the level in the blood, Wangler said.

"At the lower levels, you try to locate the source of the lead and remove that from the child's environment, and improve the caretaking such as maybe the hygiene practices, limiting the child's exposure," he said.

"The body will get rid of lead on its own, but you have to remove the lead from the child's environment," Wangler said. "If the level is too high, there are some medical techniques that can be used to help the body get rid of the lead, but it requires a doctor's supervision."

Wangler said people may think lead-based paint is the largest cause of exposure for children, but there are others.

"We found lead in such things as even a child's favorite breakfast dishes," he said.

Lead Poisoning Leaves Danger On The Walls

Sat, 13 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Linda Gilliard was thrilled to say goodbye to her old apartment and move into her own house about a year ago. But the Bronx mother didn't imagine that the large, five-bedroom house on Fordham Road came with a hidden danger that could harm her and her children.

It was in December, when she took her 15-month-old son to the doctor, that she learned the paint inside the house, built in 1938, was lead-based and was harming the child.

"The wall was open and the chips were peeling off," Gilliard said in a recent interview. "The dust, I used to just sweep, not thinking about it. I didn't know I should take a damp cloth to clean. There's a lot of danger on the walls."

She said she took her son, Tyrese Sullivan, to a clinic at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center because she was worried about the "sinking" look in his eyes. Then came the shocker: The child's blood tests showed a high lead level 30 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, three times what the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sets as the highest acceptable level. (The boy's doctor believes the temporary eye condition probably was unrelated to his lead level.)

Gilliard, 43, a single mother who is unemployed, was referred to a lead program at Montefiore Medical Center where additional tests confirmed the diagnosis of lead poisoning. Montefiore relocated Gilliard, Tyrese and Gilliard's two teenage daughters to a modest two-bedroom apartment in a residence on Mosholu Parkway known in medical circles as a "safe house."

Such temporary shelters there are three in the city, with a total of 12 units offer a haven to families while lead paint is removed from their apartments or homes under Health Department supervision.

Lead poisoning is an insidious and dangerous malady: It has no clear symptoms and, without a blood test, can easily go undiagnosed. Poisoning can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems which, in the case of young children, only may become evident once they are in school. At very high levels, it can result in seizures, coma and even death.

Though lead-based paints were banned for use in housing in 1978, exposure still occurs from lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in homes, apartments and deteriorating buildings, according to the CDC.

Tyrese's test results were confirmed just as Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed a stricter lead-paint abatement bill that the City Council had passed. On Feb. 4, the council, to the cheers of parents in the second-floor gallery, voted overwhelmingly to override the mayor's veto.

A spokesman for the mayor said Thursday that City Hall still is reviewing options on how to respond. The city could go to court to block the law, from taking effect Aug. 4.

The new law places much more responsibility on landlords. They have to clean up not only peeling or chipped lead-based paint but lead-paint dust as well, and they have less time to address the problem from the time the city's Department of Housing Preservation issues a violation. The new rules also provide more stringent safety and training standards for workers doing lead abatement.

By contrast, the old law placed the burden on tenants to push landlords to address the problem, and limited a tenant's ability to sue his or her landlord.

Bloomberg complained the bill's restrictions were unreasonable and could trigger lawsuits, and said landlords could respond by avoiding renting to families with young children.

While landlords still have 21 days under the new law to fix the problem, the time periods for other types of compliance, such as re-inspections, were shortened.

The city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, sided with the mayor in opposing the law.

"New York City has been at the forefront of attempts to prevent lead poisoning for the past 45 years," Frieden said in a statement regarding the legislation at the time of the council vote. "This law would be a giant step in the wrong direction in our efforts to eliminate lead poisoning."

Councilwoman Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), chair of the council's health committee, said the new law "is intended to protect the health and welfare of New York City's children."

She said the language of the old law and the new one serve the same goal, and rejected Bloomberg's assertion that landlords might balk at renting to families with young children.

"I just think that's absurd," Quinn said.

Last week, an official from the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development warned the City Council that the department would need an additional $15 million to comply with the new law.

Dr. John Rosen, who is treating Tyrese and other families of four other children in Montefiore's safe house, said the boy's lead level of 30 mpd will slowly decrease, but the effects of lead poisoning won't show up until his early years in school.

"Many children in that blood range have irreversible intellectual deficits which impair school performance and ultimately, productivity in the workplace," said Rosen, who runs the hospital's lead prevention program.

The Montefiore Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is the oldest program of its kind in the country and is run by the Children's Hospital at Montefiore.

The hospital had a three-unit safe house, just a few doors away, beginning in 1991. Three years later, that was replaced by the five-unit house on Mosholu Parkway, where Tyrese and his family are living, which was funded through a $1 million discretionary grant from former Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

In addition to the temporary housing, staff members at the safe house offer medical monitoring, support services and education on lead poisoning.

Nationwide, the CDC says, there are about 24 million homes with lead paint and lead-contaminated dust. Of those, about 4 million homes are occupied by families with young children, who are more vulnerable to lead poisoning because they tend to crawl on floors and put lead-paint chips into their mouths. The CDC says children at all economic levels are affected, but poisoning is most common among kids living in low-income housing.

In the city, aside from the house run by Montefiore, there's a safe house in Washington Heights with five housing units and another in Ridgewood/Bushwick with two units, according to the Health Department. They are funded with a combination of local, private and federal grants.

Deborah Nagin, director of the Health Department's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, said 628 children in the city under age 18 were diagnosed in 2002 with a level of 20 mpd or above, or had two blood tests taken three months apart with levels of 15 to 19 mpd, a 63 percent decline from 1995. The 2002 figures also show that 4,876 kids under age 18 were newly identified with levels of 10 mpd or higher.

While a simple blood test is all that is needed to diagnose lead poisoning, Rosen noted that recent figures show only 27 percent of children ages 1 and 2 are adequately screened in the city.

Rosen, calling lead-poisoning cases a "tragedy," said the problem could be addressed with adequate attention, including what he called an "inventory" of all pre-1960 housing.

"It's a totally preventable disease and that's the horror of it," he said.

Gilliard, meanwhile, is hopeful that her home will be properly cleaned of lead in the next month or two and that she will be able to move back in. The process includes removing all paint from the house and replacing it with lead-free paint.

Under an agreement with the Health Department, the city will oversee the process and send her a bill for the cost because she owns the home, which she bought from a relative.

The mother, who has learned a lot about lead since her son's diagnosis, reflected on the jeopardy still posed by lead-based paint and dust.

"It's scary, because you don't really know how it could damage them," she said, cradling her son. "They really should teach people more about it."

In His Own Back Yard

Thu, 13 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800

When Brenda Music learned in July that her three-year-old son Sean had lead poisoning, she racked her brain for a cause.

Sean rarely played in anyone else's yard, he didn't eat paint chips, he didn't lick the walls.

Since then, her extensive research compiled in a thick black binder has taught her the aforementioned causes are common misconceptions.

Sean was lead poisoned from two summers playing in his own backyard, where lead was in the air.

"The backyard was the last place I would have thought something could have hurt him," Music says. "It's very upsetting as a parent."

Brutal summers and extreme winters deteriorated the exterior lead paint on the Music home, turning it to dust, floating in the air and settling on toys. The hand-to-mouth behavior of children makes them more susceptible than adults to lead poisoning, and the sweet taste of lead-based paint does nothing to discourage children from putting lead-covered items in their mouths.

Any home built before 1978 could contain lead-based paint. Sixty percent of Iowa homes were built before 1960. The Music home was built in the '40s.

Sean's diagnosis was an accident. In June, Sean's father was laid off from his job, at which point the family qualified for WIC, a health and nutrition program through Operation Threshold.

Operation Threshold partners with the Black Hawk County Health Department, where it is routine to test all children for lead poisoning.

Mike Prideaux, the lead program coordinator at the Health Department, tested Sean and found his lead levels to be 40 micrograms per deciliter

A safe, normal level is 10.

"Ironically, they were very lucky to be unemployed short term and eligible for WIC. Otherwise he never would have been tested," Prideaux says. "Lead poisoning is totally asymptomatic so a blood test is crucial."

In hindsight, Music considers her husband's job loss a miracle for their son. Prideaux arrived to test the Music's home for lead just hours before it was scheduled to be power washed.

"That would have caused a higher concentration of lead fumes and could have even put Sean in the hospital," Music says.

Iowa has no law requiring physicians to test for lead poisoning. Sean's doctor didn't think he was at high risk so the boy was never tested.

There is no treatment once diagnosed. In severe cases, doctors can perform chelation, which flushes lead from the body, but it is usually too strong a treatment for small children. Sean is on special vitamins that have lowered his lead levels from 40 to 22. He is tested every month, and his house has been refinished to prevent further lead exposure.

"It interferes with brain cell formation, interferes with the central nervous system. You don't see immediate affects. A child could have trouble in school years later, or behavioral problems a lot of things that would never be connected to lead poisoning. It's relatively silent and the most preventable pediatric condition in the U.S. today. It's an odd malady, a medical problem without a strictly medical solution."

Two full summers of exposure caused the Sean to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His speech is underdeveloped, and doctors also think he exhibits mild autistic traits. The full damage will not be clear until Sean hits adolescence.

"It's hard to see your child hurting from something you couldn't see and couldn't stop," Music says.

Music is now lobbying Iowa congressmen to draft legislation that would require doctors to test children for lead, regardless of their risk.

"Everyone I meet on the street, and everyone I know personally, I tell Sean's story," Music says. "I urge parents to have their child tested, preferably in the summer when children spend the most time outside. Take it into their own hands."

Officials Highlight Lead Poisoning's Dangers

Tue, 04 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Lead poisoning has no visible symptoms, but it can do damage to a child's internal organs, brain development and hearing.

That's why screening children for lead early is important to their development, said Arlis Clennon, Mower County public health nurse.

In October, Gov. Tim Pawlenty dedicated a week to lead poisoning awareness. Cases of lead poisoning are down in the state, but state health officials fear some poisoning is going undetected because children are not being screened.

"We need to continue our efforts to make sure all at-risk children get screening for lead poisoning, and to eliminate potential sources of lead in older homes," said Dianne Mandernach, Minnesota Department of Health commissioner. "Childhood lead poisoning is a potentially devastating illness, but it's also entirely preventable."

Most often children received lead poisoning from breathing in or eating paint chips that contain lead. More than 80 percent of homes built in the United States before 1978 have lead-based paint, according to a Minnesota Department of Health study.

Factors that put children most are risk, according to MDH, are:

Age. Six months to 6 years of age

Low income, which is associated with poor housing, health care and/or education.

Poor nutrition such as iron and calcium deficiencies. These deficiencies increase lead absorption.

Urban residence where there are more lead sources, such as contaminated soil.

Recent or ongoing home remodeling, which increases dust from paint.

Recent immigration to the state. They may have had previous exposure elsewhere.

Lead dust can get on children's hands and toys because it settles into the floor or ground, according to the Lead Awareness Program. The body absorbs the lead once it's in the stomach.

To detect lead poisoning, children need to be screened by a medical health professional. Public health screens all children going into the Head Start program. Otherwise, family physicians can have children screened, Clennon said.

Once a child is screened, the results are analyzed and sent to the state. Depending on the levels of lead in the child's system, public health will inform the parents either by mail or phone call. If a child's lead level is above 20 micrograms per deciliter, Clennon and a risk assessor visit the house to detect the sources of lead.

Then the homeowners or landlord is notified of the sources and is advised to clean up the lead in their house. Techniques and procedures must be followed to do so, such as using a special vacuum and washing certain areas of the home, Clennon said.

Cleaning up the home, is the first step in getting rid of the lead in the child's system, Clennon said. The second is making sure the child is eating foods rich in calcium and iron.

"Good nutrition reduces the amount of lead in the intestine," Clennon said.

Then children should be screened every three months to make sure the lead levels are decreasing.

Lead Poisoning A Concern

Sun, 17 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

It's one of the most devastating illnesses facing children today, and some coast areas are seeing more and more cases. One local environmental agency said lead poisoning is more of a threat to overall quality of life than drugs and racism.

Lead is poisonous because it interferes with some of the body's basic functions. The human body can't tell the difference between lead and calcium. Like calcium, lead remains in the bloodstream and is absorbed into the bones where it can collect for a lifetime. Some local environmentalists say it's important to know that even low exposure to lead can permanently affect children.

"It can cause problems for children, attention deficit, hyperactivity, loss of IQ, behavioral problems, and if you get a big dose of it, there are even more serious consequences, like mental retardation," lead poisoning expert Dr. Janet Phoenix said.

Dr. Phoenix explained what would happen if lead poisoning goes unchecked to a group of local leaders, Saturday in Biloxi. She said it is a totally preventable disease, and the community needs to take it more seriously.

"I have no reason to believe that children in Mississippi are not at high risk for lead poisoning, so it is a problem for people living in this state," Phoenix said.

These days lead paint is not used, but the remnants of the paint can still be found on walls in South Mississippi.

"There's still a lot of older homes where there's old lead based paint on the walls, it may not be in the top layer but it's there," Phoenix said.

If you live in a house built before 1978, doctor Phoenix said you're better off assuming that lead is present and to take some preventative steps to protect your children.

The EPA recommends:

keeping your house clean because ordinary dust may contain lead, not removing lead paint yourself

don't bring lead dust into your home

shower and change clothes if you work with lead

get lead out of your water by checking your plumbing.

"Lead, I call it the silent killer and destroyer of children's lives," Executive director for the Center of Environmental and Economic Justice James Black said.

Black said the biggest problem is lack of education, and he hopes that after a forum like the one this weekend will encourage parents to consider the possibility that lead effects their children.

Experts say lead is most dangerous to children 6-years-old and under, and that it's important every parent know where lead can be found and how to control it.

Study Says Kids In Danger Even At Low Levels of Lead

Tue, 12 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

You have no doubt heard of similar situations in the past. A substance known to be hazardous above a certain level is deemed safe below that, but years later the so-called safe level is discovered to be not safe at all.

Such has repeatedly been the case with children's exposure to lead, a substance known since 1923 to damage the brain.

Years ago, doctors worried only about what is called frank lead poisoning -- blood levels of 60 micrograms or higher. Since 1943, it has been known that the brains of children exposed to these high levels never recover from the damage.

Then, more careful studies of children living in lead-contaminated environments showed that blood levels from 40 to 60 micrograms also took a significant toll on the developing brain, lowering IQ scores and causing language and attention problems, as well as behavior disturbances.

Repeatedly over 30 years, follow-up studies of lead-exposed children have demonstrated IQ reductions and other memory and learning disturbances associated with successively lower blood lead levels.

Those findings prompted long-delayed federal action, bans on lead-based paint, lead in gasoline and lead solder used to seal food cans.

Later findings also led to a reduction in the ``level of concern'' for blood lead levels in infants and young children, the point where efforts should be made to identify the source and reduce exposure. That level today, set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 10 micrograms a deciliter.

If a child tests below that, parents are told that there is no cause for concern.

Now, however, findings published in April in the New England Journal of Medicine strongly suggest not only that any amount of lead is harmful to a child's brain but also that greater damage seems to occur at levels below 10 micrograms than above that.

In other words, there is no threshold for lead's effects on the brain, and just small amounts seem to have relatively large effects.

If a blood level of, say, 15 micrograms can shave two points off a child's IQ, then a level of five micrograms might reduce IQ by five points or more.

The new study, headed by Dr. Richard L. Canfield, a developmental psychologist in the division of nutritional sciences at Cornell University, followed 172 children from relatively poor families in Rochester, N.Y., whose blood lead levels were repeatedly measured from age 6 months to 5 years.

In 101 children, blood levels never exceeded 10 micrograms.

Although levels from 10 to 20 micrograms were associated with a two-point IQ loss, a lifetime average level below 10 micrograms was linked to a decline of 7 IQ points.

So what do a few lost IQ points mean? Well, they could make the difference between average and below average intelligence requiring remedial education or it could mean a potential genius is just very bright. This could mean that more than 90 percent of American children, all with lead levels below 10 micrograms, are being harmed by lead.

Furthermore, these effects are permanent.

Perhaps more important from a societal view are the links between lead exposure in childhood and later delinquent and criminal behavior. In a study of 300 students in the Pittsburgh region, teenage boys with elevated lead levels were more likely to have committed anti-social acts like bullying, vandalism, arson and shoplifting.

While sources of lead encountered by American children have declined greatly, they have not been eliminated. One-quarter of American homes with children younger than 6 contain lead-based paint. Children can be exposed to lead-containing dust when windows are opened and closed, when old paint on walls, ceilings, radiators or floors chips or is sanded or scraped off, or when old bathroom tiles are demolished.

Renovations of older houses, especially by do-it-yourselfers, can leave lead-contaminated residues in the air and on surfaces handled by babies and toddlers. The best way to contain lead-painted surfaces is to seal them with several fresh coats of non-leaded paint or have a certified lead-abatement service remove the old paint.

In addition, Canfield said, parents should be sure that babies and toddlers are periodically tested for lead and not be satisfied with an ``OK'' result. Find out the number.

If his own children had a reading of five or more micrograms, Canfield said, he would want to find the source of their exposure and eliminate it.

Excess Lead Prompts Toys Recall

Fri, 08 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Excess levels of lead have been found in the paint on the metal wires in two activity toys made by Learning Curve International. The company is voluntarily recalling about 3,800 toys, according to the Humboldt County Health Department.

One toy is a flower-shaped toy intended to be attached to a stroller, with a green painted metal wire on which plastic beads slide along. The item is called the Lamaze Flower Stroller Wrap, SKU No. 97222.

The other toy is a floor-based toy with a foam-stuffed base, a blue-painted metal wire on which plastic beads and a stuffed animal head slide along. This item is called the Lamaze Soft Bead Buddies, SKU No. 97325.

Each item has a sewn-in label with the Lamaze logo on the front. The toys were sold in March 2003 through specialty and toy stores nationwide for about $20.

Lead poisoning can damage a child's brain and nervous system, cause learning and behavioral problems, slow growth and impair hearing. The only way to know if your child has lead poisoning is to have your child's blood tested.

Parents and caregivers should immediately take these toys away from infants and young children.

Family Wins $100,000 After Son Hurt By Lead Paint

Fri, 08 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The dangers of a child being poisoned by lead paint are well documented, and what could be a landmark court decision was handed down Thursday in Cleveland.

A Cleveland mother said her son will never be the same after he became a victim of lead paint.

"It has been tough on my family," Lanisha Walker said. "I hope I never have to go through this again."

Walker and her attorneys won a battle in a Cuyahoga County courtroom Thursday after she was awarded $100,000 from Barnett Management Co. But she knows it will never allow her 9-year-old son, Antwon, to recover from his injuries. Barnett at one time ran the apartment building where Walker's family lived and allegedly failed to take care of the lead paint there. Walker said the paint poisoned her son and caused permanent brain damage.

"The main thing is his behavioral problems," she said. "He needs special education, eight kids to a classroom."

But the case in Judge Nancy Russo's courtroom is just the beginning. Antwon wasn't the only one affected; there are more than 30 other lead-poisoning cases pending in Cuyahoga County alone and 1,000 more set for trial across the country.

Thursday's decision sent a message to delinquent landlords.

"It tells them to get on the ball," attorney Mike Gruenloh said. "The Department of Health has been telling them to clean this up."

But attorneys for Barnett Management Co. didn't consider the $100,000 judgment a victory for Walker, especially since she was seeking more than $1 million in damages.

Still, though, Walker said she is pleased for Antwon and hopes that this case may help others from suffering the same way.

"Maybe this is the first step in cleaning up other houses and landlords (changing) everything," she said.

While Walker was pleased with Thursday's verdict, her attorneys plan to appeal, looking for more than just $100,000 in damages.

Look For New Warnings About Lead Paint

Fri, 08 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Some 25 years after lead paint was banned, the paint industry's trade association and 50 attorneys general have agreed to put warnings about lead-paint hazards on cans of new paint.

The main label will have to make the following disclosure: WARNING! If you scrape, sand, or remove old paint, you may release lead dust. LEAD IS TOXIC. EXPOSURE TO LEAD DUST CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS, SUCH AS BRAIN DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN. PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD ALSO AVOID EXPOSURE. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator to control lead exposure. Clean up carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, find out how to protect yourself and your family by contacting the National Lead Information Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or log on to www.epa.gov/lead.

Warnings will appear on stickers beginning in September 2003. Permanent labels will be used no later than December 2004. The industry will also begin a four-year-long education and training program for contractors and government officials.

Although lead paint has been off the market since 1978, it "still presents a serious health risk to adults, and especially young children," says Massachusetts attorney general Tom Reilly. He initiated discussions with the paint industry that led to the labeling agreement. The hazard is most acute in homes being renovated. In a statement announcing the labeling agreement, Reilly says Massachusetts health officials estimate that 20 to 30 percent of lead-poisoning cases can be attributed to repairs and renovations.

Lead Poisoning Threat To Kids

Wed, 06 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The risk of lead poisoning is not just a big city issue. It's something families are also dealing with in the Champlain Valley.

Lead can be found in older painted homes and toys, in water, even in soil. Young children are at the greatest risk because their bodies are still developing. In children, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, hearing loss and behavior problems. Some of those problems may not show up until later in life.

A simple blood test can spot potential lead poisoning in children. Sarah Hackett said that's what happened with her 1-year-old son, Wyatt.

"We just went and had it done, not expecting to hear anything back. Three days later they called and said he had lead poisoning. We were shocked," Hackett said.

The Hacketts wondered what they did wrong and started to think about the house they lived in.

"We thought because the house was old, perhaps that could attribute to it. We didn't see any chipped paint. He doesn't eat chipped paint. He doesn't lick the window sills," Hackett said.

They turned to the Clinton County Health Department for advice. A few simple tests on their home performed by public health nurse Ted Hohn showed that paint around their windows and doors was lead-based. Lead paint was outlawed in the 1970s, but remnants of it remain, especially in old farmhouses. And when the lead paint chips and disintegrates, it turns into a fine dust that scatters around the house when the doors or windows are opened.

"Little kids crawling around on the carpet are closer to the ground where dust settles," Hohn said. "They have an automatic hand-to-mouth response. When they get lead on their hands, they get it in their mouth, and it goes into their system."

To stop the problem the Hacketts were told to clean and scrub their house and everything in it top to bottom and then cover up the lead-based paint.

"Anything that was chipped off at all, we just covered it with a paint that covers lead based paint. They recommend you don't try to scrape it at all because that will cause more dust," Hackett said.

Blood samples taken a few months later showed their hard work paid off. The lead level in Wyatt Hackett's blood went down, but his parents worry about the long-term effects of lead exposure.

"It can affect fine-motor development and brain development. It affects things that are not obvious until later in life," Hackett said.

Wyatt Hackett is anemic, a sign of elevated lead levels in the blood. He takes iron drops every day and still bruises easily. However, his older sister Taylor never showed any signs of lead poisoning.

"It's possibly due to individual childhood behavior," Hohn said. "Some kids have stronger hand-to-mouth response than others."

Hackett said her son is doing all right thanks to the required blood test and advice from the health department. But she worries that children who don't see a pediatrician regularly will slip through the cracks.

"I would recommend having a lead-level test whether you live in an old house or not, because there are some toys that have lead and ceramic dishes with lead," Hackett said.

Hackett's son still needs two more blood tests to make sure his lead level is staying low, but she said that if necessary, they are ready to move. They are hoping to build a new home, anyway.

If you live in an older house built before the early 1970s there are steps you can take. You can buy lead test at home improvement stores.

Albany Mom Suing Over Lead Paint

Thu, 17 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700

A city woman who claims lead poisoning caused her 14-year-old daughter to suffer brain damage has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Albany County and several landlords.

Albany resident Shana McCann claims her daughter, Sha-Nique, was poisoned over a two-year period beginning in 1993 and now she's taking the matter to state Supreme Court.

McCann accuses landlords of a Sherman Street apartment of "negligence" in renting apartments containing lead hazards, which are believed to cause brain damage if ingested.

Her attorneys are also blaming Albany County for "improperly" inspecting the apartments, allowing "improper" abatements and "incorrectly" certifying the homes as "lead safe."

It's all part of a $10 million lawsuit against four Albany landlords who own 10 properties in which at least 20 children were poisoned by lead.

McCann's lawyers also say two of the landlords, Sunanda Sanghi and her husband, Ajay, owned properties where significantly high lead hazards were found on at least 29 separate occasions between 1988 and 1997.

Officials from County Executive Michael Breslin's office could not comment on matters of litigation, but did say the county has always been diligent in performing whatever is mandated
by the state Health Department.

Jim Plastiras, spokesman for the county executive's office, also admitted the county has lost lead poisoning cases and made settlements in the past.

Court documents filed state ShaNique was born a "healthy baby in 1991. For the first 18 months of her life she had normal development and blood tests.

The document suggests that the situation changed after she moved to 25 Sherman St., where the county had found high lead hazards on four occasions.

While living in the third-floor apartment in 1993, Sha-Nique's blood level was tested and found to be up to 60 micrograms per deciliter, according to the lawsuit.

Those levels are 600 percent greater than the level recognized by the federal Centers for Disease Control. Sha-Nique was then admitted to St. Peter's Hospital for treatment.

A few weeks ago, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., joined Albany leaders in asking for more federal funding to combat irreversible health threats related to lead poisoning.

He talked about the disturbing finding of a new study that determined one in five Capital District children living in older housing stock may be at risk of lead poisoning and brain damage.

Schumer called for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) nationwide $40 million budget earmarked for lead poisoning to increase to about $500 million to better address the problem.

Of those funds, Schumer would like to see more money flow into the Capital District to assist health departments with their own detection and prevention programs.

Lawsuit Says Boy Exposed To Lead

Fri, 20 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Donald Logan, 10, kicks and bites classmates. He repeated the third grade.

At home, his younger brother, Brandon, 8, is often the victim of Donald's violent outbursts.

"He's a good kid, but he has a lot of problems," said Tina Logan, his mother.

Donald's problems stem from exposure to lead over a four-year period beginning in 1994, according to a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court Thursday.

Onondaga County health

officials knew about the lead hazards making the little boy sick, Danziger contends in the suit. So did the landlord of the rental property where Donald and his family lived, he said. So did officials at a Head Start program he attended where lead lurked in the peeling paint, he said.

"Unfortunately, Donald is typical of many of the children we represent," Danziger said. "He will suffer for the rest of his life as a result of the failure of this landlord and the county of Onondaga to protect him from lead poisoning."

County officials had not seen the lawsuit as of Thursday afternoon and could not comment, said Martin Farrell, a spokesman for Onondaga County Executive Nicholas Pirro, and Karen Bleskoski, a deputy county attorney.

Donald H. and Frances Smith could not be reached for comment. The Rev. Laurence Kennedy of St. Brigid and St. Joseph declined comment.

Joseph O'Hara, who became executive director of P.E.A.C.E. Inc. in November 2001, said he hadn't seen the lawsuit.

"Obviously, the children we serve there, their safety is our first priority," O'Hara said about the Head Start program.

O'Hara planned to look into the issue, he said.

Donald's problems started in August 1996 when the Logan family moved into 201 Lakeview Ave., Danziger said. He was a healthy 3-year-old at the time. Fourteen months later, a blood test found Donald had 40 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood coursing through his body.

The federalgovernment considers anything a level of 10 micrograms or more to be dangerous.

Lead is a toxin that can cause irreversible damage to young children. The heavy metal can lead to reduced attention span, hyperactivity, emotional disturbances and poor academic performance. The poison damages the central nervous system, brain, kidneys and reproductive systems.

Leaded paint is generally found in old homes and buildings. The danger comes when that paint deteriorates, flakes or peels. The old paint turns into a lead-filled dust that covers toys, furniture and the ground where children crawl. Children's hands filled with this dust find a way into their mouths.

The Logans and Smiths made repairs. The county told the family it was OK to stay in the home while the repairs were made.

Meanwhile, county health officials failed to inspect the St. Brigid and St. Joseph's Head Start even though the Logans told them Donald spent a significant amount of time there.

In November 1997, the county declared the Logans' apartment safe. But the lead in Donald's blood remained high.

On March 3, 1998, Syracuse officials inspected the Logan apartment and found chipping and peeling paint, Danziger said. Eight days later, county officials found lead hazards at the church where Donald attended Head Start.

In ensuing months, both city and county officials inspected the Lakeview Avenue home several times and found lead hazards in 20 places, he said.

In July 1998, the officials again declared the property safe, he said.

The city's lead abatement program awarded the Smiths a $8,650 grant in February 1999 to make permanent repairs to the home.

Yet, Donald's lead levels continued to be elevated for more than three years. And county officials never re-inspected the Lakeview Avenue apartment, Danziger said.

The family moved out of the apartment in March 2002. They had not moved sooner because they were told the apartment was safe, Danziger said.

Many people haven't had the experience of a lead poisoned child, so it's hard for them to understand, Logan said.

Logan said she hopes the lawsuit raises awareness about the dangers of childhood lead poisoning.

Poisoned Minds

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The harmful effects of lead poisoning on children are well-documented, but new research suggests that the danger is more widespread than ever imagined, and that exposure to levels currently deemed safe can lower children's IQ scores.

At age 2, Salissa Stallworth was already showing the effects of lead poisoning. In a lab study conducted at the University of Cincinnati college of medicine in 1995, the toddler was unable to respond to basic instructions that other girls her age were able to follow.

Experts say that Salissa was not born with developmental problems, nor were her problems genetic or the product of disease. Instead, she was poisoned right in her own home by lead. Eight years later, doctors say she is still suffering the effects of lead poisoning.

Safe Levels Now Deemed Dangerous

"She has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), she has behavioral problems, she has emotional problems, she has phobias," Latecia Stallworth, Salissa's mother said. "They told me that there could be long-term side effects to her having lead poisoning, and so far it has been true."

Lead-based paint chips and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating buildings are the culprits in lead poisoning for most American children. Lead-based paints have been banned from use in housing since 1978, but about 24 million housing units still have deteriorated lead paint, and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC estimates that 1 million children in the United States suffer from dangerous levels of lead in their system. But new research indicates that the amount of lead that can lead to developmental problems is far lower than CDC-imposed legal "safe" limits. That means the number of affected children might jump dramatically from 1 million to 15 million children.

As a result, several U.S. senators are asking the CDC to lower their scale of what is a dangerous level of lead in kids' blood.

Three Disturbing Studies

A study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at the blood lead levels of 172 children in Rochester, N.Y., ranging in age from six months to 5 years.

Researchers tested the children's IQ at ages 3 and 5, and found that those whose blood levels of lead increase from one microgram per deciliter to 10 (the limit under CDC's safety guidelines) experienced an IQ drop of 7.4 points.

Children whose blood levels rose from 10 to 30 micrograms per deciliter lost an additional two to three IQ points. But the key point in the research is that even at levels below the limit deemed safe by the CDC, children were losing IQ points.

A separate study in the journal from the Environmental Protection Agency found that low levels of lead delay puberty for several months in young girls, especially African-Americans and Latinas. The concern is that the lead is interfering with hormonal processes during development.

In addition, a University of Pittsburgh study found that juvenile offenders had a much higher concentration of lead in their bones compared to their counterparts who were not in trouble with the law.

Damaging Effects on Young Children

"Lead impairs or destroys normal functions of brain tissue, of nerve cells, of the developing brain," said Dr. John Rosen, of The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in Bronx, N.Y. "And the developing brain in young children is extremely susceptible."

Although lead paint is typically found in older dwellings, often occupied by low-income families, Rosen said that lead, not money or poverty, is the key cause of the developmental problems.

"This is about lead paint," Rosen said. "This is about lead's toxic, damaging effect on the growth of the brain of young children."

Based on the new research, Rosen said that the CDC should reclassify what would make a child have a dangerous level of lead in their blood.

"I think from a public health standpoint, it's essential and mandatory for the CDC to lower the definition of childhood lead poisoning," Rosen said.

While lead is often found in paint, children don't need to eat paint chips to get infected. Just handling dust or residue may be enough. Unfortunately, children are all too often the first line of detection.

"Most cities use children as lead detectors," said Don Ryan, of the Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning. "Rather than identifying hazards in the first place, they wait until a child has been poisoned and then after the fact go to look for the hazard."

It is too late, at that point, Rosen said.

"The biggest tragedy to me having supervised now the treatment of over 25,000 lead poisoned children is the fact that the child's life is gone," Rosen said. "It is wrecked forever as early as one or two years of age and there's no recovery."

Salissa's mother knows that all too well.

"Every parent wants their child to go to college, get a career, be happy, you know," Stallworth said. "I think she's going to have some problems with that. I hope and pray that no other parent really has to go through what I'm going through."

Lead Paint Dust Poses Toxic Risk To Kids

Tue, 20 May 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Researchers recently announced that even lower levels of lead exposure are far more toxic than previously thought and it very well may have made itself at home in your home.

Aaron is 5-years-old. He struggles with learning and his mother, Norberta, says he is not as active as he once was. She says these effects are from lead poisoning but what she never expected was that the poison was inside her home.

Lead was common in house paint up until 1978. Statistics show that in Los Angeles County there are over 2.5 million homes built before 1980 that could contain lead paint, according to the Western Center of Law and Poverty.

Now, 25 years later, the danger is dust especially dust that is created from opening and closing windows and doors in older homes.

"Children get lead poison from eating it. From putting things in their mouth that have dust on it... putting their hands in their mouths," said pediatrician Harvey Karp.

Even small levels of lead can have an effect on a child's developing brain, according to Karp, who is an expert in the area of children's environmental health.

A recent study found that a child's IQ could drop 7.5 points, even if their blood lead level was under 10 micrograms per deciliter, which is the level currently deemed safe by the government.

"It's amazing how little led it takes to raise the blood level. A 10-microgram level could be attained just by a miniscule, microscopic amount of dust," said Karp.

Liseth Martinez also knows a lot about lead dust danger.

"It can hit any family could be low income, middle income or high income," Martinez said.

For her family, lead dust came from an attempt to do some renovating.

"My husband got carried away when he was doing the fixing up," said Martinez.

The result was excessive amounts of lead dust on the floor.

To be safe Martinez bought a home kit and tests for lead herself. She keeps her young daughter away from the dust and washes her hands regularly throughout the day.

Because lead is such a hazard, getting rid of it is serious business. Rooms are wrapped in plastic to contain the toxic dust and the old paint is "wet-scraped" away. The shavings and dust are immediately disposed of.

Progress has been made in recent years, and while millions remain at risk, the number of children with lead poisoning is decreasing but that is little comfort to Norberta as she tries to deal with the damage lead has already done to her son.

Labels Will Warn of Lead In Old Paint

Wed, 14 May 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Starting this fall, paint manufacturers across the country will follow in the footsteps of cigarette makers by placing warning labels on their products cautioning consumers that scraping old paint can create toxic lead dust.

The labels will be placed on the tops and sides of cans reading in part: "WARNING! If you scrape, sand or remove old paint you may release lead dust. LEAD IS TOXIC."

The labels are required under an agreement reached this week by the National Paint and Coatings Association and attorneys general from 46 states, including Michigan. The move is designed to combat lead poisoning, widely cited as the biggest environmental threat facing U.S. children.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox cited a Free Press series on lead poisoning that ran in January in announcing the agreement Tuesday. He called the new plan "a big step toward reducing the public health risks associated with lead paint."

Said Tom Graves, vice president and general counsel to the paint association, "It's a substantial commitment, and we're happy to be in partnership with so many attorneys general who think of this as a model for how to accomplish things without being antagonistic."

Glenn Brown, cochair of a group of activists called the Michigan Lead Partnership, called the agreement a good move forward.

About 22,000 Michigan children are estimated to have lead poisoning, which can hinder brain development and create behavioral problems.

A major source of lead in the environment is dust from paint in homes built before 1978 that's when paint manufacturers stopped adding lead to paint, which had been done to make their products last longer.

Under the agreement, besides the warning labels, paint manufacturers also will pay for hundreds of educational seminars nationwide on safe renovation practices. The seminars will be free to the public and aimed at home owners, contractors, landlords and housing workers.

In addition, the paint industry has promised to arrange discounts on safety equipment such as masks and special vacuum cleaners that pick up small lead particles. The paint industry and lawmakers took five months to negotiate the landmark, $200-million plan.

Companies that years ago participated in the manufacture of leaded paint are facing numerous class-action lawsuits around the country -- none in Michigan. States and cities are suing the manufacturers for creating a public nuisance by continuing to put lead in their products, long after the dangers of the metal were known.

This week's agreement does not preclude future lawsuits, but it may head some off.

Paint Firms Agree To Lead Warnings

Tue, 13 May 2003 00:00:00 -0700

As part of an agreement with dozens of attorneys general across the country, paint companies will soon be putting warning labels on their products alerting consumers to the danger of lead exposure during home renovations.

The agreement between the National Paint & Coating Association and 45 states was announced Monday.

The District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico also were included.

Paint manufacturers have not made house paint with lead since 1978, but it is found in many older homes and buildings.

The danger is that children will ingest or inhale lead paint dust stirred up during repainting and renovation of older homes.

In addition to new labels on paint cans, paint manufacturers also agreed to provide brochures to consumers and training courses on lead-safe renovation and repainting to homeowners, contractors, landlords and housing workers.

According to national figures from the Environmental Protection Agency, about 900,000 children under the age of 5 have elevated blood-lead levels.

If not detected early, high levels of lead can cause damage to the brain and nervous system.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, who led the states' negotiations with top paint manufacturers, said the settlement is "a landmark agreement with the paint industry and it addresses a serious problem."

"Lead exposure continues to be a health hazard to children and that includes lead dust. There's a proper way to remove it. If you don't do it properly, it presents a serious health risk," he said.

But the attorney general in Rhode Island, the first state to sue former lead paint manufacturers for lead poisoning in children, called the agreement an "empty gesture."

"It's too little, too late," Attorney General Patrick Lynch said Monday.

"This agreement fails to address the full extent of the dangers of lead paint and, perhaps purposefully, it comes as we are taking steps to retry our case against the lead pigment manufacturers."

The agreement includes a 19-month interim product sticker program beginning September 30, 2003 and permanent product labeling that would warn consumers of possible exposure to lead dust during the renovation of older buildings.

Health Alert: Lead In Homes

Thu, 01 May 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Homeowner Bridgette Antonello knew it would take some work to fix up her house, but, even with four kids, she was up to the challenge, "I love just the character this house has when you walk in. I like the large rooms and all the dark stained wood."

Then, one by one, her children got sick. Elise has high levels of lead in her blood. Dominick has asthma. The Antonellos wondered if their house was the culprit, so a team of healthy home inspectors came to find out.

The checked the carpet for asthma triggers and checked the windowsills and carpet for lead. Dr. Kenneth Dillon of Environmental Health Sciences in Alabama says, "Even if it's in the walls, the lead dust still circulates around the room."

In the bathroom Kenneth found more problems, where a "little bit of mild and mildew is a major asthma trigger." He also recommends a pleated air filter for more efficiency.

Dr. Kenneth says, "The whole concept of the healthy homes initiative is to not only look for lead, but to look for asthma triggers, look for pesticides in the home."

Bridgette learned the paint in her house contains lead. She was also given a new vacuum with a special filter to better fight the allergens living in her carpet.

There are programs like Environmental Health Services across the country. Anyone who thinks his or her home could be making children sick should contact the local HUD office. Homes built before 1978 could also have lead paint. Children living there should have their blood tested.

Lead poisoning usually has no symptoms, but it can cause developmental problems, especially for children under the age of six.

Parents Worry About Lead Paint In Schools

Wed, 30 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Tanya Lovett learned on April 18 that her children were being transferred out of Heberle Elementary after lead paint was detected in the West End school.

Lovett said her 6-year-old son, Rayshawn, a kindergartner at the 74-year-old school, has been more hyperactive in recent months. She plans to have him tested for lead poisoning.

"It's hard for us to teach him," she says. "He can't sit still, and this might be the problem."

Rayshawn and his fourth-grade sister, Kenya Boone, 9, are two of more than 500 students who were transferred for the remainder of the school year after a Heberle student's blood was found to have elevated levels of lead. Health department officials did not find hazardous lead at the child's home, but found significant lead hazards in paint chips and dust on wooden windows at Heberle.

The federal government has banned lead-based paint because of its health dangers.

Students will finish the year at Porter Elementary, where they started school April 24.

Lovett blames the school district for not properly painting and maintaining the buildings. "I think they don't care about inner-city schools," she says.

Toxic At Any Level

Mon, 21 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

A new study on lead and children reaches the frightening conclusion that there is no safe level of exposure to this toxic heavy metal, and that's especially troubling for cities like New Orleans that have a lot of older homes.

Even though lead was removed from gasoline in 1976 and from house paint two years later, it still lingers in soil, water and in homes, especially those built before 1950. In New Orleans, that's about 40 percent of the housing stock.

There's no question that lead is a dangerous substance. Lead exposure during childhood can reduce intelligence, slow development and cause behavioral problems.

What's less clear is how much lead is cause for worry. That's the question the New England Journal of Medicine study sought to answer. Researchers found that even children whose lead levels fell within limits considered safe by the government showed a decrease in IQ test scores.

"People have been asking, 'How low is low enough?' The fact is, in our study we found no evidence for a safe level," said Richard Canfield of Cornell University, one of the study's authors.

As knowledge about lead's toxicity has evolved, the federal government has reduced the level considered to be safe, most recently in 1991. The level now is 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood, which is about 100 parts per billion.

But in this study, researchers found an IQ drop of as much as 7.4 points in children who had less lead in their blood than the level set by the CDC.

Researchers estimated that one in 50 children has a lead level above what is recommended. They estimate that one in 10 children in this country has 5 micrograms of lead per deciliter or more high enough to be of concern, according to the study.

The new research should prompt the CDC to reconsider its 12-year-old guideline. If the current level is too high, as this study indicates, it would be misleading and dangerous to allow it to stand.

The findings could also have implications for lead abatement programs. If lead exposure is dangerous at any level, local, state and federal officials might need to re-evaluate the criteria they use for deciding when it's advisable to remove lead.

The study should also prompt people who live in older structures to assess their own risk. The simple fact that lead-based paint is in a house doesn't mean that its residents are being exposed to the toxin. But when lead-based paint chips, peels or forms dust, people especially children can come into contact with it.

People who are renovating older homes need to be aware of the hazards and do the work in an environmentally sound manner.

Policymakers certainly need to pay attention to this study in deciding how to deal with the 38 million homes in this country that were built before 1950. But parents need to pay attention, too.

Lead is poison for children, and parents need to do everything they can to make sure that their children don't come into contact with it.

Bad News on Lead

Sun, 20 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

To the list of things we know about lead poisoning that it's treatable and preventable we can add this: It may be more prevalent than we thought. The New England Journal of Medicine has published a five-year study suggesting that lead may be harmful in young children even at much lower blood concentrations than were previously considered harmful.

The study found that children with blood lead concentrations of less than 10 micrograms per deci-liter showed lower intellectual abilities as a result of their exposure. (10 micrograms is the current risk threshold used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) Children with 10-microgram readings had IQ scores roughly seven points lower than those with one-microgram readings. The study controlled for numerous other factors, such as family income and mother's intelligence, that might have affected the findings.

The findings call for a serious reexamination of the state's approach to prevention and treatment of lead poisoning, which is caused mostly by children inhaling lead particles contained in older house paint or in contaminated soil. The state's approach, unfortunately, has a history of negligence.

Two years ago, the state Bureau of Audits blasted the Department of Health Services for its handling of lead poisoning in children. At that time, an estimated 38,000 California children under age 6 had blood lead levels high enough (under the old standard, mind you) to need treatment. The DHS has the authority to require all children 6 and younger whose families are on medical assistance to be tested for lead. Yet just one in four children in that category were getting the test. The audit estimated that the lax approach to testing meant that just 10 percent of those with elevated levels were actually being identified. Under a more stringent poisoning standard, this picture looks even bleaker.

Dr. Valerie Charlton, who began overseeing DHS' lead poisoning prevention efforts after the audit, says the department has been more aggressive about educating doctors and that testing has increased dramatically. DHS recently won legal authority to collect lab results for all blood tests conducted in the state, which should enable it to determine which doctors are doing their parts, but also examine the test results. That ought to foster a more coherent statewide campaign, which should also include greater guidance to parents concerned about protecting their children from lead.

Health Department Turns Focus To Lead Poisoning

Sun, 20 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The Escambia County Health Department is set to begin a study to determine how many residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties live in houses contaminated with lead, a highly toxic substance that may be making them sick.

The Health Department will visit the homes of children diagnosed with lead poisoning over the last five years and will conduct random tests on houses built before lead-based paint was outlawed in 1978. The most common cause of lead poisoning is from ingesting peeling and chipping lead-based paints or lead dust in older houses.

Health officials estimate there are nearly 130,000 such houses in Escambia/ Santa Rosa. They plan to test 100 houses this year and maybe many more depending on how much money is available.

The effort is part of a much broader, congressionally funded environmental health study designed to determine whether toxic pollution is making people sick in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Lead is a toxic metal that severely stunts intellectual development and is linked to a wide range of behavioral problems. Exposure, particularly among children younger than 6 years old whose brains are developing rapidly, can be permanent.

The purpose of the Health Department study:

Determine whether children previously diagnosed with lead poisoning still have elevated lead levels in their blood.

"We`re going to go back and look at as many of these children as we can," said Dr. John Lanza, director of the Escambia Health Department. "First we want to recheck their lead levels, especially if living in the same residence. Then we`ll ask permission to go in and check for lead."

Find the source of lead exposure.

The goal is to establish an accurate estimate of how many Escambia/Santa Rosa houses have lead in them and should be considered hazards.

If a large number fails the lead tests, Lanza plans to ask elected leaders in both counties to enact laws requiring lead tests be conducted in older houses at the time they are sold.

Lanza, a pediatrician, suspects the same lead-contaminated houses could be exposing generation after generation of children to lead.

"We`ve had over 500 cases of elevated lead levels since 1993 but have looked at very few of those for the actual source of the lead," he said.

The answers could shine a light on a very serious health problem that affects an estimated 434,000 children nationwide. The World Health Organization estimates as many as 18 million children in developing countries have suffered permanent brain damage because of lead poisoning.

Those most at risk in the United States are the poor and minorities, who typically are exposed to lead-based paint in older, deteriorating houses where dust and paint chips easily are ingested.

Roughly 24 million houses and apartments nationwide should be considered "significant lead-based paint hazards" according to an October study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The only way to eliminate that hazard is to keep children away from the lead.

National health experts praise the Escambia Health Department study, which is the first attempt locally and perhaps in Florida to locate the main sources of contamination in a given region. The experts said they are particularly intrigued by the idea of legislation requiring lead tests in older houses.

Such a move, they said, is a bold step to help prevent childhood lead exposure.

"I think a study like this is what more health departments should be doing," said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and chairman of the department of community and preventive medicine at New York`s Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "It`s the kind of thing that more health departments would like to do but typically do not have the funds."

The Escambia Health Department can afford it only because it`s getting a portion of the nearly $2 million in congressional funding to study toxic pollution and its effect on health in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Estimated cost of the lead study: $44,465.

That`s a small price to pay if it can help prevent children from coming into contact with lead, said Dr. John Rosen, a pediatrician and director of environmental sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

"It`s obvious that childhood lead poisoning is an absolutely preventable disease," he said. "But a bigger emphasis must be placed on inspecting and characterizing housing before children even get there."

The lead problem

The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has termed lead poisoning "one of the most common pediatric health problems" in the country.

The number of lead poisoning cases in Escambia/Santa Rosa has been decreasing steadily.

In 1998, 88 children were diagnosed with lead poisoning in Escambia. In 2002, only four had lead poisoning a 95 percent drop. Lead poisoning cases dropped 50 percent in Santa Rosa during that same period.

Lanza believes the decline mostly reflects the fact that more older homes are disappearing and testing is not as prevalent.

"I think we need to do a better job of testing children," said Pam Meyer, an epidemiologist in the CDC`s lead poisoning prevention branch in Atlanta. "Many family physicians don`t screen because they don`t know if a child lives in an older home. But they can ask some questions, and we encourage it."

It`s difficult to estimate the severity of the area`s lead poisoning problem, Lanza said, "because clearly the numbers are decreasing."

But he and others note with concern that recent research shows blood lead concentrations considered safe have very serious health effects, including reduced IQ and hearing loss.

"There is no demonstrated safe concentration of lead in blood," the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported in a February study of pollution and children`s health.

That means potentially hundreds of local children are harmed by lead exposure every year but are not receiving treatment because they have not been diagnosed with lead poisoning.

Federal health experts are reviewing whether to lower the threshold, which is 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.

Lanza said they should.

"We may be fooling ourselves into thinking there`s not as much of a problem with lead now because we`re not seeing as many cases of 10 or greater," he said. "But if the health effect is really a lot lower than 10, then we`re fooling ourselves in thinking that the problem is going away."

Raising concerns
Health officials expect to find older houses with lead.

That suspicion is supported by lead testing conducted by the City of Pensacola`s Housing Department.

The city in the last two years has tested roughly 150 houses participating in the federally subsidized rental assistance program. Each house was built prior to the federal ban on lead-based paint, and each had at least one resident 6 years old or younger.

The results to date: 40 percent failed the lead test.

"I`m not sure we`re going to see much difference," Lanza said of the Health Department study.

The Florida Department of Health in July recommended that Escambia and two other counties "warrant additional attention to childhood lead poisoning," in large part because of "the numbers of older housing units."

The health effects of lead poisoning have not received a great deal of attention locally.

One exception: The Escambia Health Department two years ago studied the possible link between lead poisoning and children`s performance on state standardized education tests.

The results raised concerns.

More than one in every four school-aged children diagnosed with lead poisoning between 1993-99 in Escambia County attended one of nine schools that failed the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, in 1999.

"Clearly, more students with elevated lead levels are attending the lower-performing schools than the higher-performing schools," the study concluded.

Despite this, nothing more was done. The Health Department and the Escambia County School District conducted no follow-up tests.

"We`ve never had any money to do follow-ups," Lanza said.

How the program will work
The Health Department now has the money to do further research.

The day-to-day operation of the Health Department study has been assigned to Steve Metzler, an environmental supervisor at the Health Department and a federally certified lead risk assessor.

"I would like to be rolling on the environmental assessments and investigations" soon, Metzler said.

The Health Department has hired Lori Stansbury, a certified lead inspector, to do the field samples.

The biggest obstacle, Metzler said, will be locating the children diagnosed with lead poisoning in the last five years.

Some may have moved to other neighborhoods, while others may have left the city or state.

In either case, health experts still want to visit the house or apartment where the lead-poisoned child lived at the time he or she tested positive.

Reason: If the house is a lead hazard, it will continue to impact future residents who live there.

"That`s especially important in the event that there is a mother about to bring another child into the house," Stansbury said.

The tests are entirely voluntary. But Metzler said most parents probably will welcome the follow-up blood tests and lead inspection.

"Here we are, we`re offering them an opportunity to at least rule out their home" as the source of the lead, he said. "It may not be the environment, but at least we can rule it out."

Environmental health projects for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Here are the University of West Florida`s first seven projects for what is proposed to be a five-year environmental health study. The seven projects will be funded with $1.7 million approved by Congress in 2001 and an additional $225,000 approved this year.

Construction of a Northwest Florida environmental bibliography: Designed as a central database of reports, studies and other documentation
involving toxic pollution and environmental health in Northwest Florida. One goal: identifying gaps in data where insufficient study has occurred. Links to information to be placed on a Web site.

Cost: $93,832

Air quality studies, pilot survey: Seeks to identify what pollutants are in the air and determine the level of exposure of residents to each pollutant. Goal is to determine the contaminants of greatest concern, then focus in-depth study on these.

Cost: $300,000

Pollution effects on Bayou Texar sediment, water quality: Although Bayou Texar`s problems are well-documented, this study would focus on the effects on the bayou from two large plumes of underground toxins from the Escambia Treating Co.
and Agrico Chemical Co. Superfund sites. Work would include identifying the exact paths of the plumes and their toxins` potential exposure to humans and marine life.

Cost: $170,889

Assessing fisheries as vectors for toxic materials in the environment to humans: Will test fish and shellfish in most of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties` major waterways for mercury, dioxin and other chemical residue in their tissue. The goal is to determine health effects of pollutants in the water. If tests confirm harmful heavy metals and other toxins are bio- accumulating in marine life, more in-depth studies will follow on water and sediment quality to determine the potential effect on humans.

Cost: $305,160

Assessing impact of environmental hazard exposure on the health

status of geographically defined populations in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties:

Will determine whether there is evidence that toxic pollution is contributing to some serious local health problems, such as high cancer mortality and incidence rates, birth defects and infant mortality. The study will attempt to locate specific areas where pollution is contributing directly to health problems.

Cost: $199,445

Clinical toxicology and public health evaluation of communities near

Superfund sites in the Palafox Redevelopment Area:

Objective is to conduct very detailed health assessments of former residents near the Escambia Treating and Agrico hazardous waste sites in central Pensacola. An Escambia County Health Department clinic already has been screening former residents near both sites for problems associated with exposure to toxic chemicals. But this study, to be led by University of South Florida environmental health experts, would involve detailed blood work to find residues of dioxin, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and arsenic that might be affecting former residents` health years after they moved.

Cost: $328,607

Screening young children for potential exposure to environmental lead contamination in Escambia/Santa Rosa: Designed to identify sources of harmful lead exposure to children. Study will be directed by Dr. John Lanza, director of the Escambia County Health Department, and Dr. E.W. Sutton, director of the Santa Rosa County Health Department.

Cost: $44,465

Lead Paint Poisoning Brain Injury Attorney

Sun, 20 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Lead Paint Poisoning

Lead poisoning is the greatest environmental health threat to children under the age of 6. Poisoning occurs from swallowing lead (i.e. lead paint chips) or from breathing lead paint dust. Even small amounts of chipped lead paint or lead dust can be dangerous to children. Children under 6 face these great risks because their growing bodies absorb lead more easily than adult bodies do.

Millions of American children are affected by lead poisoning. Children who live in old, poorly maintained housing or in housing that has undergone renovation face the greatest risk. Children exposed to flaking or peeling paint chips face the greatest risk of lead disease.

Studies have shown that high lead levels may cause damage to the nervous system, brain injuries, seizures, growth retardation, loss of hearing, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. Furthermore, very high levels of lead may cause coma, convulsion and spontaneous death.

If your building was built before 1978, it is very possible that lead paint was used. Peeling paint is a clear signal that lead paint may have been used in your home. If this is the case, it is recommended that you and your children have a blood-lead test. A blood lead test is the only accurate way to diagnose lead poisoning.

If you or a loved one suffered lead paint poisoning, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified pollutants attorney.