(Washington, DC) – Attorney General Linda Singer today announced that her office, in close partnership with the District’s Department of Health (DOH), Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), Department of the Environment (DDOE) and Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), has launched an aggressive initiative to ensure that homes with children in the District are free of lead paint.
Scheduled to be joined at an afternoon news conference by DOH Director Dr. Gregg Pane, MD, DCRA Director Linda Argo, DDOE Acting Director George Hawkins, and DHCD Director Leila Edmonds, Singer announced that her office today filed the 12th in a series of cases against property owners whose units have lead-based paint hazards that threaten young children.
In 2006, 297 District children under the age of six were found to have blood lead levels >10 microgram per deciliter.
“Lead poisoning is a totally preventable problem, but once it happens, children face its effects for the rest of their lives in terms of their health and development,” Attorney General Singer said. “We are standing here today because we have formed a strong united front to fight this public health and public safety threat. The court case my office is filing today, along with the 11 cases already filed, is just one weapon in our arsenal to help prevent lead poisoning and hold accountable those who contribute to it. Lead is a nuisance, and a dangerous one at that.”
“The DC Department of Health supports all efforts to eliminate any sources of lead from the lives of our children,” Director Pane said. “We continue to provide targeted blood lead screening to children and pregnant women who are at high risk for lead exposure.”
“DCRA’s role in this process is critical to the health and well-being of District residents and businesses – particularly our children,” Director Argo said. “This unique role – writing the housing code violations and holding property owners responsible for abating the problem – allows us to work effectively with our sister agencies to work to eradicate lead as an issue in the District.”
“The exploration of the world in the home and beyond is a one of the wonders of childhood,” said Director Hawkins, Acting Director of the District Department of the Environment and Chair of the Interagency Task Force on Childhood Lead Poisoning, “and hazards from lead can cruelly change inquisitive exploration into a permanent threat to a child’s health, potentially robbing them and us of all they can achieve as they grow and live their lives. The District Department of the Environment is a determined part of the District’s response to this threat, including the speedy review of lead risk assessments and preparation of appropriate responses, the comprehensive update of laws governing lead risks, the training and certification of professionals to abate lead paint risks and proactive education and outreach to the public.”
“The Department of Housing and Community Development is pleased that the Office of the Attorney General is being proactive in enforcing District regulations to ensure that properties are safe for District residents – particularly children, who are our most vulnerable citizens,” Director Edmonds said. “At DHCD, we are prepared to assist qualified property owners with lead-based paint abatement and to mitigate lead-based paint hazards in their properties by providing financial assistance through our Lead Safe Washington program.”
The 12 cases filed to date are based upon testing that revealed elevated blood lead levels in several children under the age of eight years. Upon being informed that the children had tested positive for elevated blood lead levels, certified risk assessors inspected and tested properties where the children reside. Owners of properties that were found to contain lead paint hazards were given notice and ordered by the District agencies to abate the hazard. Although some property owners have complied, those who have not taken appropriate steps have been sued.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poisoning affects as many as 1.7 million children age five and younger. Lead poisoning in children can cause IQ deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral issues that could lead to more serious problems. Although lead-based paint has been taken off the market, children living in older homes are at risk because of chipping or peeling lead paint, or excessive amounts of lead-contaminated dust. Low-income children are most at risk because they are more likely to reside in older homes where lead paint has not been removed.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poisoning affects as many as 1.7 million children age five and younger. Lead poisoning in children can cause IQ deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavioral issues that could lead to more serious problems. Although lead-based paint has been taken off the market, children living in older homes are at risk because of chipping or peeling lead paint, or excessive amounts of lead-contaminated dust. Low-income children are most at risk because they are more likely to reside in older homes where lead paint has not been removed.
The District’s Lead-Based Paint Management Program, which is managed by the DDOE, can be reached at 202.535.2600. Individuals also can obtain additional information regarding lead paint risks, enforcement and abatement online below: