Sandusky's older homes pose high lead paint risk

SANDUSKY — More than three-quarters of Sandusky homes standing today were built before lead paint was outlawed in the U.S. That means thousands of households, including as many as 5,700 children, could be exposed to the dangerous substance known to cause lead poisoning and developmental issues in young children, local health officials said. But the Erie County Health Department, with the help of recently secured grant funding, wants to address this public health hazard. A primer on lead paint Lead paint was formerly a common paint used often in houses, and many older homes still have paint that contains the toxic substance. Lead paint exposure primarily harms the brain and the central nervous system, according to the World Health Organization, although it also can cause damage to other vital organs. While anyone can suffer harmful effects, young children are especially at risk if exposed to lead paint. According to the Mayo Clinic, lead poisoning in young children, particularly unborn children and children under the age of 6, can cause a number of health issues, including: • Developmental delays • Learning disabilities • Mood disorders • Stomach-related problems such as weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, or constipation • Hearing loss • In some cases, seizures or death "Lead exposure most often negatively impacts the intellect of a child," said Pete Schade, Erie County's health commissioner. "It affects their brain development and has an impact on the rest of their lives in terms of cognitive abilities. It's a horrible situation." Lead paint was used in many homes and facilities in the U.S. because of its strength and durability, normally lasting for 30 years before chipping. However, when it does start to chip, it poses a major hazard to those exposed. "When the paint chips, it tastes very sweet, so kids like to chew on it," said Bob England, the chief Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes officer for the Erie County Health Department. "Some friction on surfaces like windows and doors can also put lead dust out into the air and on the floor. Aside from the hazard of breathing it, kids a lot of the time will sit and crawl on the floor and then lick their fingers." The use of lead paint was banned in the U.S. in 1978, but 86% of the houses in Sandusky were built before then, he said. "It was in the 1950s that people first became more aware of lead poisoning," England said. "Many cases of lead poisoning were being documented, and they realized it was (in) most cases due to lead-based paint in homes. "That's when companies first started to draw back on lead-based paint in houses," he added. "However, the majority of the houses in Sandusky were still built even before that point, before 1958." Grant funding Recently, the Erie County Health Department received almost $5.3 million in grant funding to help abate lead paint in homes. The health department's Lead Hazard & Healthy Homes Program was granted $3.8 million from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, $1.4 million from the Ohio Department of Health and approximately $500,000 from the Ohio Department of Development. "What's nice about having three different grants is you can combine the grants and make the budget work for each home," England said. "Each grant has a cap for what you can use on each home, so since we have multiple grants, we can stack them." The primary ways that the program tackles lead abatement replacing windows and doors, and putting a plastic runner over high-friction surfaces, such as places where a window or door would rub against it and further chip the paint. What can I do for my home? Anyone in the low- to moderate-income bracket can be eligible, whether a homeowner or a renter. Generally, low- to moderate-income is considered less than $60,000 in annual income, as defined by the federal Housing and Urban Development department. Those concerned about the possibility of lead paint in their houses can go to the Erie County Health Department website, eriecohealthohio.com, to see if they are eligible and apply for grant funding to remove lead paint in their homes. In the "Programs" drop-down menu is the "Health Hazard & Healthy Homes Program." On this page, people can select whether they are a homeowner or renter, then further continue with an application in order to outline the magnitude of each person's situation. The Erie County Health Department will go into each approved home to inspect for lead content. They will use a tool that measures the concentration of lead on each surface and additionally examine all surfaces to pinpoint whether the paint is damaged or peeling. Based on this assessment, the department will create a plan to fix the hazard. For a more specific outline of these steps, people can visit the same "Health Hazard & Healthy Homes Program" webpage on the Erie County Health Department website. "These lead programs are essential because most of the learning and development that we do occurs between birth and (age) 6," England said. "If we don't fix these problems between that age, it is sometimes too late to fix what has already occurred. Trying to eliminate these hazards for young kids is critical. "We want to make sure that there aren't any tragic stories about kids who have been irretrievably injured by these hazards," he said. "I take a lot of pride in this job because it's a very important job." Editor's note: This story is a part of a series of stories on lead paint in the Sandusky area. See more stories in future editions of the Register.