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Thursday, August 30, 2007

EPA to Write Lead Paint Regulation in Just under 16 Years

Recently, the media has paid a lot of attention to the risk of lead in children's toys and jewelry. Yesterday, USA Today ran a story on another source of potential lead exposure: house paint.

The dangers of lead paint have been recognized for years, but the threat is still real. As the article points out, major problems can occur during the renovation of old houses.

Congress addressed this problem back in 1992. Congress passed a law charging EPA with the responsibility of developing regulations which would require renovators to be adequately trained in the dangers of lead paint and the proper methods for removing or painting over it. According to the law, EPA was to finish work on the regulation by 1996.

In 2006, EPA finally got around to proposing the rule. The agency now hopes to finish work on the regulation by early next year.

The primary responsibility of regulatory agencies like EPA is to enforce federal laws in the spirit — and with the speed — intended by Congress. EPA has failed miserably on this one.

In other news, while Americans tend to keep their lead in house paint, Chinese manufacturers sometimes prefer watercolors. In another incident of dangerous Chinese-made products coming into America, Toys 'R' Us is recalling 27,000 crayon and paint sets, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.