MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES LEADFREENYC, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO END CHILDHOOD LEAD EXPOSURE
The theme of 'The LeadFreeNYC plan' will be to have a LEAD FREE NYC by screening not only large multiple dwelling buildings built before 1978, but to screen every apartment for any hazard of lead. This will be done by on site inspections, and advanced technology that can detect any hidden lead paint that may be layered below the top levels of paint. This new technology will be used first in NYCHA buildings to make sure that there is no hidden lead paint which could be hazardous to young developing children who may live in the apartments. While the mayor stopped short of saying that NYCHA did not do all the testing for lead paint, but that this will make sure no lead will be in any NYCHA apartment.
LeadFreeNYC will Test all 135,000 NYCHA apartments where lead has not been ruled out.
Reduce the amount of lead in paint and dust that triggers remediation and abatement to the lowest level of any major U.S. city.
Require annual inspections of apartments in 1- and 2-family homes previously excluded from the City’s lead paint regime.
Expand the use of stop work orders from the Department of Buildings when the Health Department finds lead exposure risks during construction.
Ensure children are immediately provided with blood lead level testing in any home where housing inspectors identify a lead paint hazard.
Provide a dedicated nurse to any child with an elevated blood lead level to coordinate care.
Launch ad campaigns promoting testing for children in communities with low testing rates, to raise awareness about free water testing kits provided by the City, and promoting awareness of harmful consumer products containing lead.
Proactively test and mediate all lead sources in shelters.
Establish a new Lead-Free Designation for homes where all lead has been eliminated.
Publish a Lead Products Index of consumer goods like spices and ceramics that contain lead, consolidating Health Department rules to protect retailers and consumers.
Expedite service line replacement beginning with low-income homes.
Reduce lead exposure risks from soil by offering free clean topsoil to community gardens and surveying NYCHA playgrounds to cover exposed soil when needed.
While lead paint is the number one cause of lead poisoning, other ways of absorbing lead is from certain cosmetics that come from overseas, soil that has lead dust in it, and spices from overseas that are grown in fields with lead dust on them.
In the report A Roadmap to Eliminating Childhood Lead Exposure there is a map of the city which shows that the Bronx has the highest concentration of lead violations.
