Lead Paint

I have a lot of libraries in my System in buildings that were built before 1978 – in fact I have one two hundred years older than that! Why do I mention 1978? The United States government’s Consumer Product Safety Commission banned lead paint in 1977 (16 Code of Federal Regulations CFR 1303).[1]

A lot of times when I’m consulting in an older building about renovating a space or expanding it we’ll skim over this issue. Kind of an “oh yeah, and  I bet that’s lead paint too [insert eye roll here]” but really, this could be a serious contaminant in the building that deserves some special attention, particularly if it is flaking off or in the dust.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

  • People can get lead in their body if they:
    • Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths.
    • Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
    • Breathe in lead dust, especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces.
  • Lead is more dangerous to children because:
    • Babies and young children often put their hands and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
    • Children’s growing bodies absorb more lead.
    • Children’s brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
  • If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:
    • Damage to the brain and nervous system
    • Behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity
    • Slowed growth
    • Hearing problems
    • Headaches
  • Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:
    • Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
    • High blood pressure and hypertension
    • Nerve disorders
    • Memory and concentration problems
    • Muscle and joint pain

As GI Joe said, “knowing is half the battle,” here’s some help with the other half:

Bonus resource/worry:

[1]Lead Paint, Wikipedia

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