Spring time is often renovation or remodeling time for many homeowners, and for those who have older homes there’s a danger of lead paint. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees the training of contractors to handle lead paint, and spokesman David Bryan says Iowa is unique in the way the training is handled.
Bryan says Iowa is just the second state to take on the program to certify companies to do the lead paint removal. Wisconsin is the only other state to do the certification at the state level. Bryan says lead paint was once used in 38-million homes.
He says houses built before 1978 could have lead paint in them, as that was when the rules changed to keep lead out of paint. Bryan says the lead paint training is important to keep children from coming into contact with lead paint.
Bryan say they want to make the environment cleaner, as he says lead chips are scrapings pose a problem because infants put their hands in their mouths alot. Lead exposure in kids can cause learning disabilities, development delays and behavioral problems in young children.