When Was Lead Paint Banned?

If you live in a home built before 1978, it’s important to understand the history of lead paint regulation.

Exposure to lead paint during renovation and repainting projects carries serious health implications. As a homeowner and landlord in New England, I know firsthand the seriousness of lead paint exposure. I had it removed from several properties to keep my family and tenants safe. Here’s how to identify lead paint.

With the help of two industry experts, Bob Carroll from Indiana University and Shayne Pancione from Pancione Painting Plus, we’ll learn when lead paint was banned, the threat it poses, and what to do if you discover it in your home.

About the Experts

Bill Carroll, Ph.D. is an adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University. The former vice president of industry issues for Occidental Chemical Corporation, he’s the principal of Carroll Applied Science in Dallas, Texas.

Shayne Pancione is the owner of Pancione Painting Plus in Easthampton, Massachusetts. A certified lead-safe renovator, he has more than 30 years experience in the painting industry.

When Was Lead Paint Banned?

Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to a friend in 1786 warning of the dangers of lead, but it would be more than 100 years before the first ban was enacted — not in the United States, but in France, in 1909.

In 1951, Baltimore, Maryland became the first U.S. city to ban the use and sale of lead paint. New York City followed suit in 1960. However, it took more than a decade before Congress addressed it with national legislation, passing with the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act in 1971.

A complete ban on all consumer use of lead paint didn’t happen in the U.S. until 1978, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission prohibited its use in all consumer products, including paint, toys and furniture. However, this left millions of houses still coated with the toxic paint.

In 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, mandating any projects that may disturb lead-based paint must be completed by lead-certified contractors, like Pancione.

Does All Paint Made Before 1978 Contain Lead?

No.

Lead paint was valued for its durability and faster dry times, but not all paint made before 1978 contained it.

Paint manufacturers began voluntarily removing lead pigments as early as the 1940s, as its dangers became more apparent. They began using non-lead pigments like zinc oxide instead and manufacturing new water-based, lead-free paints.

Lead also increased paint costs, so some lower priced paints never contained any.

Why Was Lead Paint Banned?

Lead is a naturally occurring element that’s toxic to humans when ingested or inhaled. “It is most dangerous to children because it can impact mental and physical development,” Carroll says. These include developmental delays, lower IQs and hyperactivity. Prolonged lead exposure can pose health threats to adults as well.

Despite the known dangers, it wasn’t until extensive research and public advocacy efforts in the 1960s and ’70s finally led to the total ban on lead paint. Research determined even low levels of lead exposure could lead to significant and irreversible health issues in children.

How Do You Know if You Have Lead Paint in Your House?

If your home was built before 1978, there’s a chance it contains lead paint, and the likelihood increases with the age of the house.

To know for sure, the home’s painted surfaces need to be tested for lead. You could hire a certified lead inspector or assessor with specialized equipment. You also could send paint chip samples to a laboratory that uses x-ray fluorescence. “This technique identifies specific chemical elements,” Carroll says.

If you’d prefer to test for lead yourself, get a home test kit sold at most home centers and hardware stores. “These tests are affordable and easy to use,” Pancione says. Test kits include a swab that changes color when it comes in contact with lead.

What Should You Do if You Have Lead Paint in Your House?

If you discover lead paint in your house, take these steps to mitigate the risk of exposure.

• Leave it alone: Do not disturb lead paint by scraping or sanding it. If it isn’t deteriorating, chipping or peeling, it’s best to leave it alone until you determine a plan to address it.
• Consider a professional risk assessment: A certified risk assessment determines the existence and extent of lead paint hazards in and around your home, and provides recommended actions to reduce exposure. This can include containment (encapsulate) or abatement (removal).
• Encapsulate: A specially formulated paint, encapsulate can seal lead paint in certain circumstances. It can’t be used on lead paint that’s chipping or peeling, or on movable surfaces like doors and windows.
• Hire an abatement company: If you decide complete lead paint abatement is best for your family, or a local agency suggests it, the EPA recommends hiring a professional abatement company. “The best and surest way to reduce the risk is to have it removed,” Carroll says.
• Take precautions with remodeling, repairing or painting projects: If you plan to do any projects that will disturb lead paint, hire a lead-safe certified home contractor to complete the work. “Certified renovators go through rigorous training to become certified and will take all necessary precautions,” Pancione says. The EPA also provides recommendations for DIYers to follow when completing home projects that mitigate lead paint exposure risk.