Attorney General Bonta Joins Coalition in Support of Rule to Protect Children From Lead-Contaminated Dust

Joins coalition of 13 states supporting EPA lead standards

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced joining a coalition of 13 attorneys general supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rule to protect children from lead-contaminated dust, a hazard created by the use of lead-based paint. Lead exposure has been found to be extremely harmful to young children and to cause a host of health issues, including brain damage, impaired hearing and speech, and seizures. In a comment letter issued to the EPA, the coalition of 13 attorneys general urges the agency to adopt the most health-protective standards possible to limit the presence of lead-contaminated dust in older homes and childcare facilities, which are common sources of lead exposure for young children.

“Protecting the health and safety of our kids must continue to be our top priority,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I support the EPA’s proposal to tighten its lead dust standards and urge the agency to take additional steps to protect children from this hazard. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to fight to safeguard the wellbeing of our future generations.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of the most common and harmful sources of lead exposure for children are lead-based paint and related lead-contaminated dust generated from paint in homes and buildings constructed prior to 1978, the year lead-based paint was outlawed in the United States. Because the particles of lead dust are so small, they are harder to see and remove, making exposure more likely, especially for young children who spend a lot of time on floors.

The negative health impacts of lead exposure are well-documented. Short-term and prolonged lead exposure can cause memory loss, nausea, fatigue, and increase the risk of developing hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, and infertility. Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children, whose developing brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects. The impacts of lead exposure in children include behavioral issues, reduced IQ, slowed body growth, and a predisposition to depression, anxiety, or high-risk behavior. There is widespread scientific consensus that there is no safe level of lead exposure for children.

In the comment letter, the coalition of attorneys general urges the EPA to:

• Adopt the most health-protective standards, including the lowest proposed hazard standards and clearance levels, for levels of lead-contaminated dust in the pre-1978 housing and childcare facilities subject to the proposed rule.
• Dedicate funding to assist homeowners with lead dust in excess of the revised standards in conducting lead abatement.
• Increase public awareness about these standards to help parents and caregivers better understand the levels of lead dust in their homes and its potential impacts.

In addition, the letter urges the EPA to act quickly to update its regulations for soil-lead hazards and lead-based paint, which are other common sources of lead exposure for children and adults.

The comment letter was filed by the attorneys general of California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the comment letter can be found here.