A California court is requiring the paint companies that once sold lead paint to pay $400 million
for the cleanup of old homes. Some paint companies agreed to the cleanup but tried to reduce
the amount significantly.
The U.S. Supreme Court stepped in and denied the reduced cost. Now the paint makers have to
clean up their mess.Lead is a heavy metal that is toxic to human and animal bodies and can cause significant health
effects. Since lead is a naturally occurring element, it can be found in the air, soil, water and in
your home. When exposed to lead, children can have behavior and learning problems, lower IQ
and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems, and anemia. Lead can also affect the
developing fetus in a pregnant woman. Homes built before 1978 most likely have some lead-
based paint.
The ingestion of household dust containing lead from deteriorating or chipped lead-based paint
is the most common cause of lead poisoning in children. It wasn’t until 1978, that the Lead
Poising Prevention Act was passed which prohibited the use of lead based paint. However,
some homes still have lead paint. In turn families and children are suffering from the side
effects of lead poising. On average it cost about $8 to $15 per square foot to get rid of lead
paint in a home.
Ten local governments in California worked together and decided that the companies
themselves should pay for this expensive cleanup.
