“Getting the lead out” is more than just a saying. it can also be a way to stay safe in your home.
If you live in a house built before 1978, odds are some of its surfaces contain lead paint.
Lead paint wasn’t banned until that year; prior to 1978 most housing contained it.
Lead dust from chipped paint is a health hazard that can cause major health and development issues for children, especially those under six. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent or someone who has children visit regularly, the first step to “getting the lead out” is to have your place and your children tested.
The Hennepin County Lead Removal Program provides free testing resources to cover the costs of clean-up and replacement of old, lead-painted windows frames and sills.
“We have a grant program that provides up to $15,000 for new windows and lead cleanup in the home. We want to make sure that homeowners and renters know that there are funds still available if they qualify for the program,” said Zoua Pha, senior planning analyst for the CDC led program for Hennepin County Housing and Development.
Pha and her team work to help families to stay informed about the dangers of lead exposure and to help them understand the importance of lead testing.
Once a homeowner or renter has contacted Hennepin County with a lead paint concern, Pha or a Hennepin County risk assessor goes to the home to conduct the testing. The simple process involves taking dust samples from floors, walls and window sills.
Risk assessors can check for lead on the spot by using an XRF device that gives an instant lead reading. Dust samples go to a lab; should they test positive, the resident is recontacted by the risk assessor who walks them through the clean-up process.
Risk assessors may also test other locations in the home or household items.
“You’d be surprised where we find lead around the home. We also test the soil if you live in the city, since leaded gasoline was common until the 1990s and can permeate the ground. Or what about spices in your kitchen that are exposed to the air? Toys that are kept close to an open window can be contaminated,” Pha said.
When it comes to testing children, the Hennepin County Lead Removal Program works closely with other organizations that ofer free blood testing. One of the partners, the Sustainable Resources Center, often holds public testing events. You can find those locations at src-mn.org.
To learn more about lead health hazards in the home or apply for a $15,000 Hennepin County lead removal grant, go to hennepin.us/lead or call 612-543-4182. Zoua Pha and her team review all the applications.
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