Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (New York), December 23, 2005, Friday

Copyright 2005 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
All Rights Reserved
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (New York)

December 23, 2005 Friday

SECTION: LOCAL STATE; Pg. 1B

HEADLINE: Anti-lead paint plan saluted

BYLINE: Misty Edgecomb, MEDGECOM@DemocratandChronicle.com

BODY:
Misty Edgecomb
Staff writer
Rochester's new lead paint ordinance may not be the strictest in the nation, but it's "one of the smartest," supporters of the policy said Thursday.
Tuesday night, City Council members unanimously approved the new slate of regulations designed to help residents detect lead paint before children are exposed, making the city lead-free by 2010.
The ordinance, like those in New York City and Baltimore, requires that apartments be inspected before they are rented to ensure that neither peeling paint nor invisible lead dust are present. What makes Rochester's approach unique is that the effort is targeted at a 7.5-mile swath of neighborhoods known as The Crescent, where income levels are among the county's lowest, and 90 percent of homes pose a lead hazard.
"It targets exactly where we know the pollution is," said Derrick Hazle, executive director of the Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning.
Throughout Rochester, about 90 percent of the housing stock was built before lead paint was banned in 1978, and local leaders believe that lead paint was likely used in most of those homes - causing 8.9 percent of Monroe County children to have elevated levels of lead in their blood, more than three times the state average.
The new city policy asks inspectors to look for peeling paint and other telltale signs that lead paint may be exposed. If the paint is in good condition, a dust wipe test would be done to ensure that the home is lead-safe.
An individually wrapped cloth, similar to a baby wipe, is simply swept across the wall or windowsill, picking up any lead dust that may be present, so that it can be analyzed in a laboratory, explained Kate Kuholski, of the University of Rochester Medical School.
But it's important that the test is done correctly, by someone trained in assessing lead risk. A test area is precisely measured and must be fully wiped to ensure that the calculations of lead per square foot are accurate, she said.
Just because a wall looks freshly painted doesn't mean it's safe, Hazle said. Invisible lead dust is often present, particularly when renovations have been done without taking proper precautions to contain lead dust.
"It's the dust that's usually poisoning the kids," Kuholski said.
A spokesman for the New York State Coalition of Property Owners and Businesses, which has raised concerns about the cost of dust wipe testing, could not be reached for comment Thursday, but his group has predicted costs to landowners exceeding millions of dollars.
City Councilman Adam McFadden, who represents the South District, discounted the cost argument. With about 20,000 homes in The Crescent, the city doesn't anticipate testing more than 1,500 to 2,000 each year, and the wipe test is relatively inexpensive.
"We're really only talking about 50 bucks (per apartment)," he said.
McFadden had hoped to see a broader testing program but called the ordinance that passed "a good compromise.
Katrina Korfmacher, a public health educator at the University of Rochester, agreed. The two-tiered system should detect all lead hazards in The Crescent, she said.
"Hopefully we ended up with something that's going to be cost-effective and protect children," Korfmacher said.
What's at stake
High lead levels in the blood, particularly during early childhood, can result in decreased intelligence and behavioral problems. Lead paint was banned in 1978, but the majority of Rochester's housing stock, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, remains contaminated.
On the Web
The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning will launch a broad public education campaign. For more information, visit www.leadsafeby2010.org.
What's next
Mayor-elect Robert Duffy's administration must implement the new testing program in July. Several federal grants have already been secured to help cover the cost of lead testing and remediation.
Meanwhile, as the city prepares to enforce a new ordinance requiring more oversight of lead hazards, particularly in public housing, the Monroe County Department of Public Health has scheduled free training sessions for homeowners, landlords and renovators who work in old buildings.
Free training sessions have been scheduled for several Tuesdays early in 2006: Jan. 24, Feb. 14, March 7 and March 21. Property owners who are required to meet Monroe County public health standards will be given priority, but the general public is welcome to attend. All training will be at the Powers Building, 16 W. Main St., Rochester. Early registration for the courses is required.
For more information, or to register, call the Cornell School of Industrial Labor Relations at (585) 262-5440.