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Lead In Bounce Houses
Hybrivet System’s blog pointed me to one of the more sickening examples of lead contamination. Bounce houses. My own son loves these symbols of American summer birthday parties. Problem is that the 800 pound gorilla (in Texas we call such a thing hoss) of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations found lead in our beloved childhood summer activities. On August 11th, 2010 the Center for Environmental Health announced a lawsuit to stop the sale of bounces houses that contain lead. These inflatable gems were found to contain 70 times the federal limit for lead in children’s products under the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. I was more amazed to find that there is any acceptable limit for a child’s product to contain lead.
Excuse my rant for a moment but how would the federal government react if a Chinese manufacturers employee were to come here, enter a toy store and add poison to a toy? Would they not arrest that person? Three words…. Pitchforks and touches. How is this any different? The end result is the same.
Congratulations to the Center for Environmental Health. My son and every other parent thanks you. Donate, as Check4Lead.com has, to this amazing organization.
Center for Environmental Health
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EPA eliminates the so-called opt-out provision of RRP
The EPA has eliminated the so-called opt-out provision of RRP. The press release goes on to explain how lead dangers are not limited to children and that anyone can be affected by lead. For more information on the EPAs newst press release contact Dale Kemery at kemery.dale@epa.gov or 202-564-7839.
The final rule can be found here.
Scott
Tags: EPA, opt-out provision, RRP ruleRelated posts
EPA Extends Commenting Period for RRP Rule to August 6, 2010
On July 2, 2010, the Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention signed the attached Federal Register Notice to reopen the comment period established for the proposed rule that appeared in the Federal Register of May 6, 2010 (75 FR 25038)1, titled: Lead; Clearance and Clearance Testing Requirements for the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program; Proposed Rule [RIN 2070-AJ57]. The original comment period ended on July 6, 2010, and is now reopened until August 6, 2010.
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RRP 6/18/2010 Changes Nothing for Contractors.
The EPA released a statement clarifying changes made on 6/28 to RRP. “The effect of the June 18 memorandum only provides firms more time to apply for and obtain certification as a lead-based paint renovation firm before active enforcement of the firm certification requirements begins. EPA is also providing individual workers additional time to enroll in and take the required training course to become certified lead-based paint renovators before active enforcement of the individual renovator training requirements begins.”
“The effect of the June 18 memorandum only provides firms more time to apply for and obtain certification” |
The press release goes on to say that they will not take action for firm violations of the RRP rule’s firm certification requirement until October 1, 2010. This is also true for the Individual Renovators until December 31, 2010. The Individual Renovator must be enrolled no later then September 30, 2010.
One thing I took away from this EPA clarification was that firms that are not certified by October 1, 2010 will be fined.
The original press release can be found here.
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Top 5 Sources Of Lead Around Your Home
I decided to write a top 5 after years of yelling about home lead contaminates. Please, please, please get your child a blood lead test if you believe that there is even a remote chance of lead exposure.
1) Vinyl mini-blinds from Asia or Mexico.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported ,as of 1996, that Twenty-five million non-glossy, vinyl mini-blinds that where made in China, Taiwan, Mexico, and Indonesia where found to contain lead. They basically announced that ALL imported vinyl mini-blinds contain lead. I would not even mess around with them. Forget the lead test. Just get rid of them. The problem is that every time you open and close them they could potentially release lead particles. Sunlight breaks down the vinyl which creates lead-contaminated dust. THROW THEM OUT. Aluminum blinds are fine. Either lead test the blinds or The Department of Environmental Quality reported that these blinds can be identified by doing the following,
“Scrape the blinds with a knife and if the paint comes off, they’re metal. If the mark remains
the same color, it’s probably vinyl. Or, tap the blinds with a metal object such as a knife and
listen to the sound. Third, the slats can be inspected at their edges-if the color is the same
as the top and bottom of the slat it probably is vinyl. If the color is bright aluminum it is not
vinyl. Fourth, the brackets holding the blind are usually easily determined to be either vinyl
or metal.”
2) Christmas Lights and Older Fake Christmas Trees
I have never performed a lead test on Christmas lights, exterior and interior, that did not fail. I am not saying that they don’t exist but what I am saying is that I have tested hundreds of these lights and all of them would harm a child’s future. If you’re interested, Cornell University did a disturbing study that you can find here. http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov08/leadXmasLights.sl.html
It’s a very impressive paper that was published in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health. Thank you Lelia M. Coyne and Mark R. Pierce for your work. You study was one of the drivers of my lead test site.
3) Electrical Cords
The majority of Electrical cords contain lead. There are a few manufactures that make cords that are lead free but lead has been used to help fire proof cords since there where power cords. Keep your kids away from them or replace them with ones that are lead free. We have all be disturbed by that warning from the state of California that states,
“WARNING: Handling the power cord on this product will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause [cancer and] birth defects or other reproductive harm. WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING”
What pisses me off about this warning is the “known to the State of California” bit. Yeah just California knows that lead will destroy your child’s future.
“I have lead tested many power cords and extension cords. Trust me, they contain lead. “ |
I have lead tested many power cords and extension cords. Trust me, they contain lead. Some had so much lead in them that the lead test almost glowed pink. Wash your hands after you handle any type of power cord. The most egregious ones where those brown power cords that you probably found in your garage from the former owner/renter. Perform a lead test on them or just throw them out. Buy lead free ones.
4) The soil around Your Home
If your home was built prior to 1978 I would just assume that the soil around your home contains lead. Prior to 1978 lead was in most paint both exterior and interior. Over the yeas lead leached down the side of your home and into the ground.
5) Water
Lead levels in your water are likely to be highest if your home that has lead pipes and or copper pipes with lead solder. Plumbing installed prior to 1930 probably contains lead pipes. Plumbing installed prior to 1985 may contain lead solder in the copper joints. Brass faucets and ball valves may also contain lead.
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The History of Lead, Benjamin Franklin, Ludwig van Beethoven and Home Lead Test Kits
Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter on July 31, 1786 that spoke of North Carolina residents complaining of medical problems related to rum made in New England. He describes citizens, that where poisoned by this rum, loosing the use of their limbs. Because of this North Carolina passed a law that alcohol could not be imported into North Carolina that was made with leaden Still-heads and Worms. Apparently the compression fitting on the distiller was made of lead.
Benjamin Franklin by Joseph Siffred Duplessis
Fast forward 10-15 years later the letter describes Mr. Franklin observing and or hearing second hand that vegetables and other green plants would not grow around the Lead Ore Smelting furnaces. Being who he was, Benjamin Freeking Franklin, he wrote about observing moss that never seemed to grow where a “Roof was painted with white lead, such as Balusters, or Frames of dormant Windows, &c”.
While he was ambassador of the United States to France in 1767 he visited a hospital where he came across a sheet that contained patients ailments by their profession. He noticed a patten in tradesmen that worked with lead all exhibited signs he recognized as lead poisoning.
The Energy Department’s Argonne National Laboratory, outside of Chicago, confirmed that lead had caused Ludwig van Beethoven death in 1827 at the age of 56. Ludwig spent a lifetime drinking wine from lead cups and received medical treatments that were often laced with heavy metals.
We have known about the dangers of lead for over 200 years. How is it possible that as a society we have not said enough is enough. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists lead as the second most toxic substance. To give you an example of how shocked you should be…..CYANIDE was listed 28th.
2007 CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances
Your home and products you have procured over the years might be a danger to your family. Anyone with a 10th grade education knows that lead is harmful. Check4Lead.com sells Home Lead Test Kits that will help you identify lead in your home. Until our government decides to outlaw lead as a consumer product material it is important to identify lead in your home. Extension cords, Christmas lights, paint made prior to 1970 and window frames made prior to 1970 are all suspect. Any toys, and I mean any toys made in China are also suspect. If an American staple like Thomas the Train has dropped the ball then anything toy is not safe.
Tags: Benjamin Franklin, History of Lead, Home Lead Test Kits, lead, Ludwig van BeethovenRelated posts
426,000 Child Products Recalled Due to Excessive Lead Contaminants
It was a busy day for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada (Canada’s Version of the CPSC).
174,000 “Children’s Greeting Cards with Bracelets” where recalled due to the “product’s” surface paint coating on the bracelets containing excessive levels of lead that violate the federal lead paint standard and a general regard for humanity.
This item really bugs me as its sheer cuteness and danger.
Product: Papyrus Brand Greeting Cards with bracelets
Units: About 174,000
Importer: Schurman Fine Papers, of Fairfield, Calif.
Apparently they sold a gift card that included the pictured bracelet. The back of the greeting card reads, “BD 63401 | © Jean Card & Gift Company” and the card insert reads, “USA $6.95 | CAN $10.50 | Made in China | © Jean Card & Gift Company” and includes UPC number 734524634013 in the lower right hand corner.
You may contact Schurman Fine Papers at (888) 990-9095. Click here for Health Canada’s press release. I get the feeling they broke the story on this. Now let move on to the other recall trash.
252,000 “Children’s Toy Jewelry Sets Recalled by Playmates Toys” have been recalled due to a general hatred for children. This poison was sold by retailers nationwide from November 2008 through November 2009 for between $6 and $8.
Name of Product: Papyrus Brand Greeting Cards with bracelets
Units: About 174,000
Importer: Schurman Fine Papers, of Fairfield, Calif.
Apparently the CPSC was alerted to this hazard by the State Attorney General of California.
Thank you State Attorney General of California for doing the CPSC’s Job
The offending piece of this “toy” can be found in “charm” clasp.
For additional information, contact Playmates toys at (888) 810-1133 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.playmatestoys.com.
If you have any question as to a toys lead safety either throw it away or get a lead paint test kit.
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Horse Toy Figures Fails Lead Test
15,000 horse toy figures have been recalled by Blip toys today. They where sold by Walfart (walmart) between January 2009 and July 2009 for about four bucks. I know this will come as a huge surprise but this little gem was made in China. Can you believe that? This pestilence peddler’s recall involves Nature Wonders HD pinto horse toy figures with model number 92093. It failed the CPSC’s test for lead in paint.
Quick Facts About this Poison:
1) Sold In walmarts
2) 15,000 in the wild
3) Sold between January 2009 and July 2009.
4) Price: $4
Why did it take so long to tell the public about this product? This product was sold over a year ago.
Pitchforks and Touches anyone?
Tags: CPSC, lead test, test for lead in paintRelated posts
Lead Based Paint Test Kits
Lead Based Paint Test Kits
Lead oxide has been used as a white color base in paints for hundreds of years. One could assume that before 1940 all paints contained lead in them. House paints, artistic paints and every paint in between contained titanium dioxide as it was cheap to produce and gave paints a wet look that held up far longer than normal paints.
If you live in a home built prior to 1978 I would just assume that you have lead paint somewhere in your home. More than likely it’s been painted over many times but it’s still there. Check4Lead.com sells Lead Based Paint Test Kits that will help you find lead in your home. There is no safe level of lead in a Childs blood.
Tags: Lead Based Paint Test Kits, lead testRelated posts
Lead Paint Test Kits
Check4Lead.com is an online store and blog that we hope will give you the information and tools, such as a Lead Paint Test Kits, to keep lead from harming your family. A Lead Paint Test Kits can help you root out lead contaminates in your home.
Tags: Lead Paint Test Kits