Working closely with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD), the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has launched an aggressive initiative to ensure that homes with children in the District are free of lead paint.

 

District of Columbia law requires that a building, or any portion of a building, that is occupied or visited regularly by a child under the age of eight years, be free of any lead hazard that causes or may cause exposure to lead from lead-contaminated dust, lead-contaminated soil or lead-contaminated paint that is deteriorated or otherwise present in a manner that could result in adverse human health effects.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poisoning affects as many as 1.7 million children age five and under. Lead poisoning in children can cause IQ deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and other behavior problems. Although lead-based paint has been taken off the market, children living in older homes are at risk because of chipping or peeling lead paint or excessive amounts of lead-contaminated dust. Low-income children are most at risk because they are more likely to reside in older homes where lead paint has not been removed.

 

If you have questions about lead safety, please select from the the following helpful links: