Drinking lead can damage people’s brains, but Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach opposes a plan to remove lead water pipes.
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In their letter, the attorneys general wrote, “[The plan] sets an almost impossible timeline, will cost billions and will infringe on the rights of the States and their residents – all for benefits that may be entirely speculative.”
Kobach repeated this nearly verbatim in a March 7 post on X (formerly Twitter).
Buttigieg responded by writing, “The benefit of not being lead poisoned is not speculative. It is enormous. And because lead poisoning leads to irreversible cognitive harm, massive economic loss, and even higher crime rates, this work represents one of the best returns on public investment ever observed.”
Here’s something wild: it was only banned for residential use. As long as the paint is labeled ‘for industrial use only’, manufacturers can go crazy with the lead. Despite the common misconception of lead exposure via paint being primarily due to “eating paint chips”, it’s mostly due to the inhalation and ingestion of the dust formed by friction and the gradual breakdown of lead paint. To get to the point, living downwind of any business that still utilizes legal lead paint means you may be exposed to lead.
I wonder if there’s any way to find out if you live near one of these businesses?
There’s an easy, not very legal way. Head to the Home Depot and buy some lead test strips, then take them and a pocketknife for some DIY paint sampling at the facility in question.
If the police find you, make sure you’re white and aren’t near any oak trees.
Well I was thinking more along some kind of governmental website with a search ability, but sure I guess that would work too.
I wish! There’s no registration required for industrial use, so there’s no registry to search.
I quick search turned up some accredited labs that will send you an at home collection kit for air sampling.
It doesn’t seen particular cheap; $100 per kit, minimum order three kits
I’m not going to link to them since this was a really quick search and do not want to come across as vouching for any particular lab.
If you’re concerned, I suggest doing some indecent research on your options. Perhaps your state or locality has programs for testing.
Please do link them. I don’t think anyone would take you as a peddler for that company.
First hit
State of Maine offers free kits to residents
Ty
Do you live in a city that has buildings more than 50 years old? Is so, the answer is yes.
I’m sure there are legitimate needs for leaded paint. Probably for environments where containing RFI or radiation are a concern.
I’d also think that it’s such a niche need that it probably has a cost premium and not something anybody would willingly choose to use over latex or oil paints.
Lead paint doesn’t contain enough lead to significantly control radiation of any type. You need a sizable amount to block x-ray radiation: think about the thickness and weight of the vests radiation techs use as protection.
The lead is used as a pigment and helps to decrease dry time and to increase its durability, corrosion resistance, and fungicidal properties. Lead paint is quite cheap and is still used on outdoor structures like bridges, road markings, storage tanks, building exteriors, etc. Lead-free alternatives exist but aren’t always as durable or are comparably durable but often more expensive. There are no applications of which I am aware that require lead paint. It’s 100% a cost and convenience issue.
Only Nepal and the Philippines have enacted any meaningful control of industrial lead paint. The US reduced the allowed lead content about 15 years ago but lead based paint is still actively used.
P.s. I’m not just a crazy paint fanatic, I’m a paid, crazy paint fanatic - it’s part of my job. Welcome to the EPA in the United States - better than nothing, but still industry’s bitch.