Mayor Unveils Plan to End Child Lead Exposure
On Jan. 28, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a road map to eliminate childhood lead exposure, particularly in private homes, during the next 10 years. Among other things, the new LeadFreeNYC initiative would require one- and two-family homes that have been exempt from lead-paint inspections to abide by the laws that apply to larger buildings. These rules include checking peeling paint for possible lead and mitigation during construction. A 2004 law spurred a 90 percent drop in lead-paint exposure in children under 6 years old, according to the city. However, more than 3,000 children last year were found to have elevated amounts of lead in their blood. "Our goal is to identify any hazard immediately to eradicate the hazard, to make sure the child's exposure is ended, and to reduce the lead in the blood levels of that child back down to safe levels," de Blasio said. The initiative will cost an estimated $180 million during the next four years, with the majority of the funds coming from federal and state coffers. The funding will expand the number of lead-paint inspectors, allow for more audits of landlords, and cover the cost of repairs, among other things.