Lead paint was banned in New York City in 1960, but has no been removed from many homes, especially in the Bronx. The New York Times reported that Mayor Deblasio is planning to “eradicate” lead paint from public housing, but it seems like it’s too little, too late. When walls are painted over without stripping the lead paint underneath, small children can still peel off the paint and ingest it, causing the high lead levels known as “lead poisoning.” Lead poisoning can cause severe neurological problems for children that ingest it, including intellectual disabilities. If your child shows these symptoms and you may have lead in your home, you should have the child tested and speak to a Bronx Lead Poisoning Attorney.
The Times also reports that at least 50,000 apartment still have lead paint, and many of the residents are not even aware that this toxic poison is in their homes. Reuters reports that, “In 2015, 5,400 city children tested with an elevated blood lead level, 5 micrograms per deciliter or higher, New York’s most recent annual report on lead poisoning showed. More than 800 had levels at least twice that high.” Awareness programs have not been successful due to the stresses on families in public housing to who are often struggling to hold down more than one job, and cannot supervise their children as closely as more affluent parents. They also lack the means for “self-help” to strip the paint themselves, as they are barely able to make ends meet. Despite the efforts of non-profit organizations, and the lawsuits from many a Bronx Lead Poisoning Attorney, the problem persists.
There are laws on the books requiring public housing and private landlords to remove all traces of lead, but they are not being enforced. Lack of funding for enforcement officials is cited as the reason for these oversights. We can only hope that Mayor Blasio makes good on his promise before thousands more children are poisoned. Meanwhile, you can count on a Bronx Lead Poisoning Attorney to hold landlords and the City accountable.
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