MAXIMIZING THE BALTIMORE LANDLORD'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEAD PAINT CRISIS, AND THE NEED FOR SOLID DEFENSES AT TRIAL: MARYLAND PREMIER LEAD PAINT DEFENSE LAWYERS

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I.  INTRODUCTION.

A child's environment is full of lead. Children are exposed to lead from different sources (such as paint, gasoline, and solder) and through different pathways (such as air, food, water, dust, and soil). Although all U.S. children are exposed to some lead from food, air, dust, and soil, some children are exposed to high dose sources of lead. Lead-based paint is the most widespread and dangerous high-dose source of lead exposure for preschool children in Baltimore.

Lead entering the body from different sources and through different pathways presents a combined toxicological threat (ATSDR, 1988). Multiple, low-level inputs of lead can result in significant aggregate exposure. Indeed, for children with lower (but still elevated) blood lead levels (for example, in the range of 10-20 µg/dL) identifying a single, predominant environmental source or pathway is not always possible.

This blog describes the most important sources and pathways for childhood lead exposure. Information about the levels or concentrations of concern in different pathways is based on information assembled by regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and other published data. Nothing in this blog should be interpreted as suggesting standards for acceptable or unacceptable levels or concentrations of lead in different environmental media.

II.  Sources and Pathways of Lead Exposure

Sources and pathways of lead exposure in children include:
(A). Lead-based paint
(B). Soil and dust
(C). Drinking water
(D). Parental occupations and hobbies
(E). Air
(F). Food
(G). For some children, other sources and pathways, such as "traditional" medicines, may be critical.

III.  LEAD-BASED PAINT

A. Lead-based paint is the most common high-dose source of lead exposure for children.
B. About 74% of privately owned, occupied housing units in the United States built before 1980 contain lead-based paint.
C. Children are exposed to lead when they ingest chips of lead-based paint or ingest paint-contaminated dust and soil.
D. Many cases of lead poisoning result when homes containing lead-based paint are remodeled or renovated without precautions being taken.
E. Removing lead from housing is important both for the treatment of poisoned children and for the primary prevention of childhood lead poisoning.

Lead-based paint remains the most common high-dose source of lead exposure for preschool children. Lead-based paint (containing up to 50% lead) was in widespread use through the 1940s. Although the use and manufacture of interior lead-based paint declined during the 1950s and thereafter, exterior lead-based paint and lesser amounts of interior lead-based paint continued to be available until the mid-1970s (CEH/CAPP, 1987). (Lead-based paint produced after the 1940s tended to have much lower lead concentrations than lead-based paint produced earlier.)

In 1978, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture of paint containing more than 0.06% lead by weight on interior and exterior residential surfaces, toys, and furniture. Unfortunately, lead-based paint that is still available for industrial, military, and marine usage occasionally ends up being used in homes.

Nationwide, about 3 million tons of lead remain in an estimated 57 million occupied private housing units built before 1980 (representing 74% of all such housing). Of particular concern are the 14 million housing units believed to contain lead paint in unsound condition and the 3.8 million deteriorated units occupied by young children (HUD, 1990).

"Pica", the repeated ingestion of nonfood substances, has been implicated in cases of lead poisoning; however, a child does not have to eat paint chips to become poisoned. More commonly, children ingest dust and soil contaminated with lead from paint which flaked or chalked as it aged or which has been disturbed during home maintenance or renovation. This lead-contaminated house dust, ingested via normal repetitive hand-to-mouth activity, is now recognized as a major contributor to the total body burden of lead in children (Bornschein et al., 1986). Because of the critical role of dust as an exposure pathway, children living in substandard housing and in homes undergoing renovation are at particular risk for lead poisoning.

Numerous studies have established that the risk of lead poisoning is related to the presence of lead-based paint and to the condition of such paint (ATSDR, 1988; EPA, 1986). Children who live in rehabilitated lead-free housing or who return to lead-reduced housing after undergoing medical treatment have significantly lower blood levels than children living in similar, non-rehabilitated housing (Bornschein et al., 1986; Chisolm et al., 1985).

Data from several urban lead poisoning prevention programs indicate that deleading the home of a poisoned child can reduce blood lead levels substantially (Rosen et al., in press; Amitai et al., in press; G. Copley, unpublished data). Deleading or lead paint abatement can be an effective method of reducing children's exposure to dangerous levels of lead in paint and house dust if properly done (Farfel and Chisolm), but may actually increase dust lead levels if not done properly (Farfel and Chisolm, 1990).