Homes And Lead

Across the United States, lead-based paint was used throughout the 1900s until it was banned for residential use in 1978.  (The League of Nations banned lead-based paint in 1922; even Benjamin Franklin wrote about the bad effects of lead back in 1786.)   If your house or apartment was built before 1978, there is a high likelihood that it contains lead paint.  Lead-based paint, even if hidden under layers of newer lead-free paint, can break down because of age, poor maintenance, or household repairs and create environmental health problems.

Lead dust in the home is caused by chipping, peeling, flaking or deteriorating lead-based paint. Lead dust is not the same as household dust. Lead dust is often invisible, heavier, and stickier and exists in even the cleanest of homes.  When lead dust is ingested or inhaled, it enters your body and can cause serious health problems.  You can learn more about how lead affects people in Children and Lead.