[MassHistPres] Deleading

Thu Jul 30 09:13:30 EDT 2009

As a father of a child that had lead poisoning I must say that your
analogy is naive at best. As I understand it, lead is a highly addictive
substance which can be ingested by a child by biting those intact
surfaces. It is my understanding that MA law requires the lead to be
removed below 5 feet ( that height may have changed) or to be covered.
Any lead above the prescribed height can be rendered intact. Once a
child is diagnosed with lead poisoning, the state is notified and a
state inspection will take place. MA has very strict rules governing the
presence of lead where children under the age of 6 reside.  My daughter
almost died from lead poisoning, it is not a lobbyist issue but a real
threat to our children. Lead can affect the kidneys and liver of our
young children as they are not fully developed. There are also no
outward signs of the poisoning except the graying of the gums. Testing
is the only way to determine if a child has the poisoning. 

Joseph M. Booth, AIA  

President 

Direct    (774) 206-8002

Mobile   (508) 243-6049

jbooth at dyerbrownsouthcoast.com <mailto:jbooth at dyerbrownsouthcoast.com> 

Dyer Brown SouthCoast, Architects 

One Johnny Cake Hill 

New Bedford, MA 02740 

Tel   (508) 999-6220 Fax (508) 990-1265 

www.dyerbrownsouthcoast.com <http://www.dyerbrownsouthcoast.com/>  

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From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of jade
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 7:34 AM
To: Jonathan Feist; MassHistPres
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Deleading

DISCLAIMER:  i am a window restoration/preservation specialist and the
lead issue is one that i contend with often...i suspect the vinyl
replacement window industry has a few lobbyists who are financially
rewarded for their relationships with the epa......i do incorporate lead
safe removal methods in my business......

lead may be found in the soil surrounding the home, on wood floors,
walls, doors, trims, windows, the local playground, the neighbor's
house, the day care center, the grandparent's home, the church, the
library, the corner store, etc....it would be prudent for this woman to
have a qualified inspector test all areas of the home--inside and
out....

if the window paint is in relatively good condition--minimal or no
chipping--there is little danger of ingesting or inhaling the lead...a
weekly wiping down with a damp cloth will remove the small amount of
lead dust that may occur as a result of raising and lowering the
sash...most major paint manufacturers sell an 'encapsulating' paint
finish specifically for lead painted surfaces...i have not used them and
have done little investigating here......

it's unfortunate that the lead issue has been front and center news and
depicted as the lurking culprit wreaking havoc throughout the
land...common sense care of lead surfaces in one's home can eliminate
the need to remove all household components containing lead....i use
this analogy when folks voice their concern about lead---we strap our
young children in the back seat of the minivan so tightly hey can barely
breath, fill the tank with a highly flammable liquid and head down the
highway at 70 miles per hour...common sense driving will get us safely
to and from our destination...

it is indeed especially disconcerting when a child's lead levels are
high....one must find the origin of the source before making drastic
changes that may not alleviate the problem...homeowners should know that
vinyl windows use metal stabilizers--lead and cadmium are but two of
those metals with lead being the most common...the dangers of pvc are
well documented but one must do their own investigating to find the
numerous studies/reports currently available....most homes contain a
considerable amount of PVC piping which could be contributing to high
lead levels.....

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadpdfe.pdf  this is the government's
pamphlet on lead safety for the homeowner....watch for much stricter
guidelines coming in 2010...professionals must be state certified to
work in areas containing lead if that lead is to be disturbed in any
way...i believe that by 2020, we will have guidelines on the proper care
and disposal of pvc products and required certification for abatement
services.....

that's it from my perspective....

jade mortimer

heartwood window restoration

----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Jonathan Feist <mailto:jfeist at charter.net>  

	To: MassHistPres <mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>  

	Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 8:51 PM

	Subject: [MassHistPres] Deleading

	I've been contacted by someone in our LHD whose child has
unusually  
	high lead levels. She wants to undertake a massive deleading
process,  
	including replacing all her old windows.

	My understanding is that you only get lead poisoning by
ingesting lead  
	and possibly inhaling dust, and that the existence of sound lead
paint  
	isn't dangerous, unless it is being sucked on. Is that wrong?

	I'm generally interested in links to any reliable information
about  
	this: historical preservation vs. lead poisoning. And on the off

	chance, if there is evidence that the great expense she's
embarking on  
	is unnecessary for improving her child's health, I'd be
particularly  
	interested in that....

	--Jonathan

	================================
	Jonathan Feist
	jfeist at charter.net * 978-772-4864
	Blog: Delights and Processes
http://blogs.townonline.com/delight/
	Writing about Music http://jonathanfeist.berkleemusicblogs.com/

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