The Lead Thread

This article on the Consumer Affairs website says that if you think getting a better deal shopping a second-hand stores think again. A recent study suggests that many items you’d find in a thrift shop could be hiding dangerous chemicals including lead.

Valentine’s Day is coming up and love is in the air. What else is? If your significant other has opted to renovate the home, lead could also be in the air. I don’t mean to be the party pooper, but your safety is our goal at LeadCheck®.

The White House Blog has recently reported that the number of children affected by lead poisoning has dropped by 75 percent in the last decade. The article goes on to say, “Stated differently, the percentage of children that test positive for lead poisoning has been reduced from over 8% to less than 1%. “

With that said, the President’s administration is looking to continue on that path—seeking to rid the country of lead-based paint hazards. The Recovery Act of 2009 made around 17,000 homes lead free in inner cities and just recently HUD was granted another $127 million toward protecting families from lead poisoning.

Pitcher, Oklahoma was once a small, sleepy town—content to remain quiet and out of the news. Most of its residents were satisfied with the subtle nuances that make small town living appealing. But the local mine replaced this dream of the simple life with a new set of nightmarish realities once lead had covered the land.

Similar to the last story, this isn’t the first time we’ve had to report on lead in reusable grocery bags. Back in November, I reported that several large retailers were using reusable grocery bags that had high concentrations of lead. Walmart Winn-Dixie, and Target were among the names that came up.

Well here’s another in a long line of stories about lead poisoning affecting our wildlife. A swan, who survived being shot over a year ago, has recently succumbed to the lead in its system. Phil Jenni, the executive director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, added that most of the swans that are treated at the center are usually treated for lead poisoning, a result of hunting ammo or fishing tackle.

I used to have a coach who’d tell us that every game was comprised of many little battles—that eventually, if you played the game the right way, the little triumphs would add up to a team victory—the ultimate goal. Well, the game is long from over, but the environmental community has just won another small battle.

There have been efforts made by a few trade associations to either campaign for more enforcement of the RRP Rule or repeal it all together. On January 13^th Shawn McCadden, author of RRPedia and noted speaker, wrote a blog post detailing both trains of thought.

In an on-going effort to provide you, the contractor, with everything you need to stay RRP compliant, we have recently put together a printable packet of documents to help keep you organized. The following required documentation is contained in this packet:

A study performed by Kim Deitrich, a University of Cincinnati scientist, on the affects of lead in children has linked lead poisoning with not only learning disabilities in children, but also anti-social and even criminal behavior in both teenagers and adults. It stresses the permanent nature of lead poisoning, going so far as to prove with empirical data that the brain damage resulting from lead poisoning is irreversible.