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WASHINGTON (SBG) – Millions of moms-to-be take a prenatal vitamin every day. Their labels say things like “satisfaction guarantee,” “quality assured,” and “for a healthy pregnancy.” But we found out – what’s not on the label may be lead, a heavy metal, which the CDC and World Health Organization say can be hazardous to a developing baby…

The Spotlight on America team partnered with Ellipse Analytics, which tested more than 220 brands. A separate, independent lab, Eurofins, confirmed what Ellipse found.

Results were across the board, with lead levels in one serving of a prenatal vitamin ranging from just trace amounts to 15 times what the FDA recommends as a limit in apple juice.

Leading health organizations have set varying standards for daily exposure to lead, including from drinking water, food, and things like paint and jewelry. Because lead accumulates in your body, scientists say less is best.

  To read the original article and for a list of the tested vitamins.

October 23, 2019 – WASHINGTON  – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) announced its federal enforcement actions completed over the last year to protect the public, especially young children, from exposure to lead in paint.  The cases involved alleged noncompliance with at least one of the Agency’s lead-based paint requirements: the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule; TSCA’s Lead-based Paint Activities Rule, which applies to abatements and other activities; and the Lead Disclosure Rule (LDR) under Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction Act.  These requirements apply to most pre-1978 housing, and to child-occupied facilities such as pre-schools and child-care centers.

The Agency uses an array of mechanisms to promote compliance and, thereby, reduce the risk of lead exposure.  Lead-based paint enforcement actions generally include administrative civil settlements, complaints and orders by EPA; and civil judicial settlements, orders and criminal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice.  Cases often result from referrals, tips and complaints from state/local authorities, consumers and others, including referrals related to children with elevated blood-lead levels.  Also, some settlements may include commitments by the alleged violator to perform lead-based paint abatement or other projects to reduce the risk of lead exposure.

The Civil Settlement/Order dollar categories reported below reflect the civil penalty amount; or the civil penalty plus the value of any commitment to perform projects to address lead-based paint.  Read more.

On June 21, 2019, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, along with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, announced new, tighter standards for lead in dust on floors and window sills to protect children from the harmful effects of lead exposure.

“EPA is delivering on our commitment in the Trump Administration’s Federal Lead Action Plan to take important steps to reduce childhood lead exposure,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s final rule is the first time in nearly two decades EPA is issuing a stronger, more protective standard for lead dust in homes and child care facilities across the country.

“EPA’s updating its standards for lead dust on floors and windowsills in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities is an important advance,” said Secretary Carson. “We will use this new rule in updating the lead safety requirements for the pre-1978 housing we assist.”

Since the 1970s, the United States has made tremendous progress in lowering children’s blood lead levels. In 2001, EPA set standards for lead in dust for floors and window sills in housing, however since that time, the best available science has evolved to indicate human health effects at lower blood lead levels than previously analyzed.

To protect children’s health and to continue making progress on this important issue, EPA is lowering the dust-lead hazard standards from 40 micrograms of lead per square foot (µg/ft2) to 10 µg/ft2 on floors and from 250 µg/ft2 to 100 µg/ft2 on window sills. The more protective dust-lead hazard standards will apply to inspections, risk assessments, and abatement activities in pre-1978 housing and certain schools, child care facilities and hospitals across the country.

Lead-contaminated dust from chipped or peeling lead-based paint is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to lead paint exposure because they their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. They can be exposed from multiple sources and may experience irreversible and life-long health effects. Lead dust can be generated when lead-based paint deteriorates or is disturbed.

The rule will become effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.

A link to this final rule and to learn more: https://www.epa.gov/lead/hazard-standards-lead-paint-dust-and-soil-tsca-section-403

Learn more about the lead-based paint program: https://www.epa.gov/lead

06/22/2018   EPA Press Release

The new proposed standards for lead in dust for floors and window sills will be an important step to reduce lead exposure.

“Reducing childhood lead exposure is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Lead-contaminated dust from chipped and peeling lead-based paint is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Strengthening the standards for lead in dust is an important component of EPA’s strategy to curtail childhood lead exposure.”

In today’s action, the Agency is proposing to change the dust-lead hazard standards from 40 µg/ft2 and 250 µg/ft2 to 10 µg/ft2 and 100 µg/ft2 on floors and window sills, respectively. These standards apply to most pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, such as day care centers and kindergarten facilities. In addition, EPA is proposing to make no change to the definition of lead-based paint because the Agency currently lacks sufficient information to support such a change.

THE LEAD ABATEMENT ADVISOR is our newsletter which specializes in mold, asbestos and lead paint topics. The newsletter is prepared to inform clients and friends of developments in lead-based paint hazard evaluation and control, safety management, environmental compliance, and new developments in the environmental remediation field.  Our current and past Newsletters can be Found Here

One of the 10 great public health achievements in recent history is the great progress we have made in reducing childhood lead exposure. Over the past 50 years, EPA and federal and state partners have worked together on actions that have eliminated or drastically reduced the use of lead in gasoline, paint, plumbing pipes, food cans, and a variety of other products. Achieving continued meaningful reductions in lead exposure requires a long-term concerted effort that addresses all current and historic sources. EPA published a science-based public health approach and a coordinated strategy for continuing our progress to reduce lead exposures and protect public health. This approach outlines a common set of public health principles that will guide the Agency’s work to eliminate the adverse effects from lead exposure. Read more.

A Reuters ‘Off the Charts’ examination of lead testing results across the country found almost 3,000 areas with poisoning rates far higher than in the tainted Michigan city. Yet many of these lead hotspots are receiving little attention or funding. Read more.

EPA announced more than 100 federal enforcement actions completed over the last year that require entities like renovation contractors, landlords and property managers to protect communities and public health from exposure to lead. From October 2015 through September 2016, EPA entered into 123 settlements for alleged violations of one or more of the three lead-based paint rules–the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule; the Lead Disclosure Rule; and the Lead-based Paint Activities Rule for abatements–and filed six complaints for ongoing actions. Each settlement requires that the alleged violator return to compliance and, in most cases, pay civil penalties. Collectively, the settlements require violators to pay $1,046,655 in penalties. Read more.