FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


From the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services


Labels to Warn Consumers About Lead Paint Hazards


Paint manufacturers have agreed to affix warning labels on their products as part of an agreement with attorneys general from 46 states, including Wisconsin. The agreement was reached with the National Paint and Coatings Association and requires paint manufacturers to affix warning labels on paint cans and provide consumer education and training, alerting consumers to the hazards of lead paint exposure and how to avoid it.


While lead paint has not been manufactured in the United States since 1978, it still presents a serious health risk, especially to young children. About 80 percent of homes built before that year contain lead, according to federal estimates. Children can be exposed to hazardous lead levels from ingesting lead dust on surfaces in the home generated during repair and renovation work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 million US children under the age of 6 have high levels of lead in their blood.


The agreement requires both a lead exposure warning on the side of the can, as part of the manufacturers preparation instructions, and a abbreviated warning on the top of the can or a separate “sticker” where warning is less likely to be obscured once the paint is used. The agreement goes into effect September 30, 2003 and requires the warning label to be affixed to all paint cans for 19 months and provide consumer education and training from 2003 to 2007.


To learn more about working safely with lead paint, consumers should contact the Health Department,the Environmental Protection Agency Lead Information Hotline, 1-800-424-LEAD (5323), or visit www.epa.gov/lead.

For Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) about lead, go to my link http://www.environmentalhealthguy.com/faq_category.php?catID=4