Lead Exposure in Children: Prevention, Detection, and Management (October ,2005)online article : http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/116/4/1036

Overview

Historical Significance Impact Groups Sources of Exposure Remediation Techniques Impact on Real estate industy Discussion (Our role as developers)

Impact To Real Estate

Typically Children under the Age of 6 are at the highest risk

Two year-olds tend to have the highest blood level concentration because they have a tend to put hands and objects in their mouth.

Between 1976-1980 about 88% of levels >10µg/DL; threshold for mental degradation

>20ug/dl; Headaches, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, seizures and even coma.

Newborns can exhibit Blood Lead levels close to the level of their mother. Brain nerve activity Behavioral Inattentiveness Renal or kidney disease in adults with acute exposure

Sources of Exposure

Lead-based paint Contaminated soil Household dust from lead-based products Drinking water/lead pipes Lead Gas emissions (prior to 1976) Can cross placenta and is typical for babies to have similar

(BLL) as mother. Lead poisoning is the No.1 environmental illness of children

Remediation Techniques Task force on environmental Health risks to children was founded in 1997.

Consists of: EPA, The department of Health and Human Services, The Consumer product Safety Commission, HUD and other… Group came up with a goal of eliminating childhood Lead poising by year 2010. Projected that 20 million homes could be remediated between 2000-2010. Safety includes screening.

Since 1993 approximately 700 million to over 200 local and state jurisdictions across the country.

Lead poisoning Prevention Act LBP removal averages $ 7,700 per dwelling when HUD procedures are followed. Encapsulation costs of LPD average $2,900 per unit. CDC estimates that it costs the society $40,000 per child with high exposure Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act is the basis for federal regulation of LBP

hazards. It directs HUD to establish procedures to eliminate “as far as practicable” LBP hazards in all public housing and federally assisted, private homes constructed prior to 1978. There are no federal mandates for local governments related to LBP in privately owned housing, but federal grants are available to governments that choose to establish LBP poisoning prevention programs.

Observation of Potential Problems

Peeling, chipping, or cracking paints

Area susceptible to wear and tear that causes cracking or exposure to underlying layers of paints on stair railings, banister.

Lead dust that results when paint is sanded or dry scraped.

Lead in the soil surrounding your home, caused by flaking lead paints on its exterior, since it’s a risk to children playing out doors and in a prime spot to be tracked inside on shoes.

Opposition to Lead Protection/ Impact to Real Estate industry EPA Criticizes New York city council Speaker Peter Vallone Lead Law (Local Law

#38). The claim is that the law falls short of requiring that the work is done by requiring trained worker and follow-up testing for lead residue. This law was passed in 1999 over opposition of advocates of tenants, low-income housing and

children’s health and is claimed as a complete sell out to the real-estate industry. Debate is over trained Lead remediation and verification of dust/particle removal. Local Law#38 called “The childhood Lead protection act”, criticized as “ Landlord protect Act” Concern is over the 21 day period allowed for remediation once

Increased risk to real estate community Time associated with address lead based environmental risks Resources allocated to remediate those perceived risks Cost Tort Liability associated with not addressing those risks properly Disclosures

Sellers must disclose in writing any in formation about known lead paint in the home. Sales contracts must give buyers up to 10 days to check for lead hazards. Home buyers aren’t required

to test for lead- but must be given the opportunity to do so Home sellers or agents must give homebuyers a copy of EPA publication “ Protect Yor family from lead

in your Home” Similar lead disclosure regulations apply to the relationship between landlords and tenants of buildings

built before 1978.

Lead Exposure Levels

Sources

•Pediatrics “Official journal of the American academy of pediatrics

•EPA website

•National Institute of environmental Health Sciences

•HUD website

•CDC website