Alameda County Healthy Homes Department Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

07/19/2019

Lead paint suppliers settle California lawsuit for $305M

Paint suppliers financed a ballot initiative that would have wiped out the court rulings and shifted $2 billion in cleanup costs to California taxpayers. The companies ended the effort last year when state lawmakers agreed to drop pending legislation targeting the companies.

https://www.apnews.com/a7c0509cc8df4beab2b0b7920ad1c737

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The nation's former major suppliers of lead paint have agreed to pay California's largest cities and counties $305 million to settle a nearly 20-year-old lawsuit,...

07/17/2019

California settles decades-long lawsuit over lead paint, but...

“The litigation money can only go so far, but it’s a start,” Larry Brooks, director of Alameda County’s lead poisoning prevention program, said in an interview last month.
California jurisdictions are the first to have a public nuisance verdict upheld against former lead paint manufacturers. Several lawsuits in other states have failed since 2000, from Illinois to Missouri and Rhode Island. The California case may set a new legal precedent for seeking remediation.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lead-california/california-settles-decades-long-lawsuit-over-lead-paint-but-outcome-is-bittersweet-idUSKCN1UC2H5?fbclid=IwAR3z16CAZgVqibA2Y33d4K8U74pvvl90E4bHHWAK-W16MWw7QSo5phMYOiM

When Californian counties and cities first sued paint makers in 2000, they wante...

07/17/2019

Paint makers reach $305 million settlement in California, ending...

The settlement represents a rare success for plaintiffs suing paint companies under the so-called public nuisance doctrine, which allows public entities to sue parties whose activities negatively impact broad communities by infringing upon a public right.
Public nuisance cases against former lead paint makers have failed in other states, including Rhode Island, Illinois and Missouri.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-lead-settlement/paint-makers-reach-305-million-settlement-in-california-ending-marathon-lead-poisoning-lawsuit-idUSKCN1UC26J?feedType=RSS&feedName=newsOne

After a 19-year legal struggle, three former makers of lead paint have agreed to...

07/16/2019

Preparing to welcome Code Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters and Building Inspectors to the CACEO, EPA and Healthy Homes Department sponsored Lead Safe Practices course! Beware Contractors poisoning children with unsafe renovation, repair & painting procedures we are preparing Enforcers to come after you!

07/12/2019

Ask the Mayor: ICE Raids; Cycling in NYC; Lead Poisoning; Rikers Island | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC

Mayor responds to woman who says she was diagnosed with lead poisoning after contractors conducted demolition work in her building without using lead safe practices per the EPA rule thus causing her to inhale lead paint dust. https://www.wnyc.org/story/ask-mayor-july-12-2019/

Chat with the Mayor about what's going on in NYC this week.

07/12/2019

Tenants Now Protected In Lead Exposure Investigations

Tenants who are worried about lead exposure in their homes will now be protected from the possibility of being evicted by their landlords, thanks to an ordinance passed by the Milwaukee Common Council Tuesday. The Council passed the ordinance which said “This ordinance provides that no landlord can constructively evict a tenant for seeking city services to address lead-poisoning nuisances in rented domiciles, or cooperating with the city to investigate or abate lead-poisoning nuisances.”
https://shepherdexpress.com/news/daily-dose/tenants-now-protected-in-lead-exposure-investigations/#/questions

Landlords will now be punished for evicting tenants who express concerns about lead in their home.

07/12/2019

Positive Parenting: Lead Exposure in Children - 9 & 10 News

https://www.9and10news.com/2019/07/11/positive-parenting-lead-exposure-in-children/

For years, health experts and the Center for Disease Control has warned about the risks associated with lead poisoning in kids. This can include damage to the brain and nervous system. Now, new research suggests that even a small amount of lead in the blood can contribute to behavior problems in kid...

07/12/2019

This bunk bed in California is $1,200 a month, privacy not included

PodShare is trying to help make up for the shortage of affordable housing in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles by renting dormitory-style lodging and providing tenants a co-living experience.
https://wreg.com/2019/07/05/this-bunk-bed-in-california-is-1200-a-month-privacy-not-included/

Housing costs have become so expensive in some cities that people are renting bunk beds in a communal home for $1,200 a month. Not a bedroom. A bed.

07/11/2019

Gary gets grant to test children for lead poisoning; city has some of the highest rates in state

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary-gets-grant-to-test-children-for-lead-poisoning-city/article_6a6a8ce5-5f83-5209-a2dd-3d9597f817eb.html

GARY — The city's Health Department said it was awarded a $27,840 grant to test children for lead poisoning and conduct outreach at day care centers.

07/03/2019

New State Law Requiring More Lead Testing, Remediation Takes Effect

Part of the legislation that passed last year has already begun. It sets up universal lead testing for young children – requiring doctors to test all 1- and 2-year-olds for lead poisoning, unless parents opt out. The next phase of the law, now in effect, lowers the threshold at which those tests trigger more intervention by state health officials – from 10 parts per billion, to 7.5 ppb. That’s the new blood lead level that will prompt professional lead inspections, home visits by state nurses, and more health resources for families, including case management, parent education and referrals to developmental services.
https://www.nhpr.org/post/new-state-law-requiring-more-lead-testing-remediation-takes-effect#stream/0

A new state law took effect Monday that aims to protect more New Hampshire children from lead poisoning. Part of the legislation that passed last year has

06/29/2019

Lead-Poisoned Golden Eagle Released At Mount Diablo After Rehab

The wildlife folks predict that the eagle will reclaim its neighborhood in short order. It’s believed the bird may have been poisoned by eating dead prey containing lead shot. Starting July 1, lead ammunition will be banned. That should help future raptors from lead poisoning.https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/06/27/797400/

After months of hospital rehabilitation for lead poisoning, a rescued golden eagle finally had enough strength to go back to the wild Thursday.

06/27/2019

Lead poisoning continues to affect children across the Houston area - TMC News

Texas children with Medicaid are required to be tested for lead by their pediatricians, but HCPH officials have discovered that some physicians are not aware of this requirement. Additionally, most pediatricians will not screen patients who do not have Medicaid, so part of the mission of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is to educate all parents and pediatricians about the screening recommendation: at least once for every children by age six.
https://www.tmc.edu/news/2019/06/lead-poisoning-continues-to-affect-children-across-the-houston-area/

Two-year-old Ja-Kobi Hicks clutched his mother’s arm as Yashira Padilla, a medical assistant at the WIC clinic in Baytown, Texas, pricked...

06/26/2019

Poisoned by their homes: how the US is failing children exposed to lead

“We’ll never medically test our way out of this,” said David Jacobs, chief scientist at the National Center for Healthy Housing and a former director in charge of lead hazard control at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. “We’ve got to test the houses, not only the children who have already been exposed.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/26/lead-exposure-us-childrens-blood-as-detectors

Hundreds of thousands of children in the US remain at risk of exposure to lead, which causes cognitive and behavioral deficits

06/26/2019

Toledo coalition eyes next steps to curb lead poisoning

Future goals include increasing advocacy, supporting landlords to improve properties, educating title companies, aiding enforcement efforts, and marketing to the public about testing.
https://www.toledoblade.com/news/medical/2019/06/25/toledo-lead-poisoning-coalition-updates-progress-future-steps/stories/20190625174

Toledo Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition members on Tuesday recapped progress made to curtail exposure rates as well as planned next steps. The ...

06/24/2019

Open the Window for Fresh Air, Get Lead Instead

Closing and opening windows generate a fine dust, which ends up on window sills, thresholds and floors. If you live in a house built before 1978, it’s a safe bet there’s lead paint on your windows, and that dust is lead dust. Since children are closer to the ground, they have a significant risk of ingesting it, from putting their hands or objects in their mouth after touching the floor or a window.https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/22724/open-window-fresh-air-get-lead-instead

Because of the contamination crisis in Flint, Mich., most people know about the health threat of lead in drinking water. But water isn’t the chief source of lead poisoning. It’s windows. And warm weather just makes the problem worse.

06/24/2019

Mass. Should Follow California's Example On Lead Paint

https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2019/06/10/lead-paint-lawsuit-ivan-espinoza-madrigal-laura-maslow-armand-fiona-danaher
Massachusetts can do better than this. California has shown us the way. Ten cities and counties in California sued lead manufacturers for the environmental disaster that they caused by promoting residential use of lead paint. In 2017, a California state court found that three companies — Sherwin-Williams, NL (National Lead) Industries and ConAgra Grocery Products — had spent decades marketing their product to consumers, despite full knowledge of lead paint’s devastating effect on children. These three defendants were ordered to pay for the removal of lead hazards from the walls, windows and soil of pre-1950 homes in the ten jurisdictions that brought suit

Former lead paint manufacturers must pay $409 million to clean up lead paint in homes in California. Massachusetts should also sue, write the authors.

06/21/2019

U.S. EPA Takes Important Step to Further Protect Children from Exposure to Lead-Contaminated Dust | US EPA

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/us-epa-takes-important-step-further-protect-children-exposure-lead-contaminated-dust

EPA News Release: U.S. EPA Takes Important Step to Further Protect Children from Exposure to Lead-Contaminated Dust

06/21/2019

06/20/2019

06/20/2019

06/20/2019

06/19/2019

Thank you Supervisor Chan, Board of Supervisors and the Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative for all of your support!

Today, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed June 2019 as National Healthy Homes Month. I was proud to present the proclamation to the Alameda County Healthy Homes Department Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and the Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative. Healthy Havenscourt is a collaborative of residents, community-based organizations, and public agency partners, all working to improve health outcomes for residents and create a healthier neighborhood.

I encourage all residents to learn more about home health and safety hazards and the ways we can protect our families from these hazards.

06/18/2019

CNN docuseries shines light on lead poisoning, pollution in Philly and Chester

https://www.phillyvoice.com/cnn-united-shades-america-lead-poisoning-pollution-philly-chester-kamau-bell/

'United Shades of America' tours Covanta incinerator, Cassidy Elementary School

06/13/2019

Congrats to our staff past and present that participated in this award winning research and validation study. Working with researchers from UC Berkeley and with an actuarial, the program has demonstrated great success in reducing child asthma emergency visits and hospitalizations . Participants’ asthma is under much greater control. The program evaluation team is finalizing estimates of the substantial cost savings to the hospital systems and health care plans and planning for scale-up and replication.

06/12/2019

Free Lead Paint Safety Meeting Set for June 12
City of Alameda Sun Staff Reports

A special meeting to provide a wide range of information on the impacts of lead paint has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. at NEA Elementary School at Third and Brush streets.
Dale Hagen Manager of Housing Programs, Alameda County Healthy Homes Department, will answer a number of questions about lead paint inside and outside the home.
https://alamedasun.com/news/free-lead-paint-safety-meeting-set-june-12

06/10/2019

Lead | US EPA

Its June! National Healthy Homes Month! Learn more about Lead Poisoning Prevention on the EPA Region 9 webpage!
https://www.epa.gov/lead

06/10/2019

An Act Enhancing Justice for Families Harmed by Lead In Massachusetts - A Kinetic Typography

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxronhtudPU&feature=youtu.be

See the bill itself here!: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/HD1895 Created through Boston University’s Research for Environmental Organizations (GE 532) C...

06/07/2019

We are getting ready to again work with our partners the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO) to offer EPA Renovation Repair Painting certifications to Code Enforcers in Oakland, Los Angeles and Sacramento areas.

06/07/2019

This year’s June National Healthy Homes Month
theme is Growing Up Safe and Healthy: 5
Minutes to a Healthy Home

06/07/2019

Happy Healthy Homes Month!

06/07/2019

Lead Contamination: Questions Remain in Santa Clara County Business Closures | Capital & Main

https://capitalandmain.com/questions-remain-in-santa-clara-county-contamination-scandal-0606

Santa Clara County has not revealed how many of the children who attended a now-shuttered gymnastics facility have been tested for lead.

06/06/2019

Doctors Say Childhood Lead Poisoning Is Big Concern In Philadelphia

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/06/06/doctors-say-childhood-lead-poisoning-is-big-concern-in-philadelphia/

Doctors say high lead levels is a potential problem throughout the Philadelphia region.

06/05/2019

They Survived Mass Shootings. Years Later, The Bullets Are Still Trying to Kill Them

Goddard survived the April 16, 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech, which killed 32 people and was the worst school shooting in U.S. history. Twelve years later, he tries not to dwell on the day, but he has dozens of constant reminders: bullet fragments lodged in his body, leaching Lead toxins into his blood. https://time.com/longform/gun-violence-survivors-lead-poisoning/

Shooting survivors across the country suffer a lesser-known and often unrecognized side effect of gun violence: lead poisoning

06/05/2019

Alameda County joins World Health Organization Global Network of Age Friendly Cities & Communities and our department represented by our Director along with many other organizations that are members of the Council for Age Friendly Communities were on hand to celebrate!

06/04/2019

Cleveland City Council legislation aims for “systemic change” in approach to lead poisoning

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2019/06/cleveland-city-council-legislation-aims-for-systemic-change-in-approach-to-lead-poisoning.html

Cleveland City Council will consider legislation that would require older rental homes to have certificates proving the homes do not contain lead hazards.

06/02/2019

Jury awards $6 million in lead paint case, finds three firms responsible for lead poisoning of three kids in Milwaukee

Fitzpatrick said it was against common and medical sense to believe Sherwin-Williams' argument that the plaintiffs "emerged totally unscathed" from lead poisoning so bad that two had to be hospitalized for blood replacements.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2019/05/30/lead-paint-jury-gets-lead-paint-poisoning-case-milwaukee/1284444001/

A federal jury decided three young men were injured by lead poisoning as toddlers, and paint companies are responsible

05/25/2019

Philly physicians must now test children for lead – twice

Philadelphia City Council passed a bill Friday requiring physicians to conduct two blood tests for elevated lead levels before children turn two years old.
Nearly one-quarter of all Philadelphia children are not tested for lead at all before age two. And 72 percent are not tested twice despite a recommendation by the Philadelphia Department of Health.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/philly-lead-testing-requirements-children-physicians/

City council passes bill requiring blood testing

05/23/2019

US Senators introduce legislation to protect children from lead poisoning

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/politics/us-senators-introduce-legislation-to-protect-children-from-lead-poisoning/291-8361e92c-699c-471c-a1d8-f6e7177d3d64

Left unaddressed, lead poisoning can cause long-term and irreversible health, neurological, and behavioral problems in children.