Millions of Homes and Schools May Be Required to Eliminate Lead Dust under New Federal Rule.

New Proposed Rule to Protect Children from Lead Paint Exposure

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an important new proposed rule aimed at preventing children from being exposed to the toxic substance of lead paint.

In a recent news release, the EPA predicts that this rule will significantly reduce lead exposures for 250,000 to 500,000 children under the age of 6 each year. The mandate seeks to enhance the EPA’s regulations under section 402 of the Toxic Substances Control Act, which will revise the standards for acceptable levels of lead dust on floors, window sills, and other areas in older buildings.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensuring that the most vulnerable among us—our children—are protected from exposure to lead,” stated EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This proposal to safely remove lead paint, along with our other efforts to deliver clean drinking water and replace lead pipes, will go a long way toward protecting the health of our next generation of leaders.”

The proposed rule aims to reduce the “dust-lead hazard standards” from 10 micrograms per square foot to 3 micrograms per square foot for floors, and from 100 micrograms per square foot to 20 micrograms per square foot for window sills. The EPA acknowledges that there is no safe level of lead in dust for children, and therefore, any level greater than zero is considered a risk. The rule also lowers the lead dust levels for window troughs from 400 micrograms to 25 micrograms per square foot.

Although lead-based paints were banned by the federal government in 1978, it is estimated that 31 million pre-1978 homes still contain lead paint. Of these homes, 3.8 million have a child under the age of 6 living there.

Lead exposure can have severe health and safety consequences for children, including behavioral problems, lower IQ, and slowed growth. The American Association of Pediatrics emphasizes that there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for young children whose central nervous system development can be negatively affected.

Lead exposure can also interfere with the body’s ability to absorb iron and vitamin D, and has been linked to various cardiovascular disorders, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Trump administration also implemented stricter lead dust rules in 2020, with the aim of protecting children from harmful exposure to lead. However, some environmentalist groups criticized the rule for not going far enough.

If approved, the EPA’s proposed limits could potentially require millions of homeowners and child care facilities to inspect for lead dust and bear the cost of cleaning.