News broke this week that New York City significantly underreported the number of children who are suffering from lead poisoning. While its true that new, more stringent standards increase the number of individuals classified as having lead poisoning, the danger remains the same for anyone living in--or adjacent to--a home or apartment built prior to 1978.
"About 80% of the metro New York housing stock was built prior to 1978, the year that lead paint was banned," says Tom Taylor, Head Inspector, at RTK Environmental Group. That means most homes have a layer of lead paint, that if disturbed, can cause serious cognitive or neurological ailments, especially among children and small pets.
Taylor warns that although most people think lead paint chips post the biggest hazard, it's actually the dust from disturbed lead paint that holds the greatest threat. Lead paint is commonly disturbed during common renovations and painting, and during the replacement of windows and doors.
Do you live in a home built prior to 1978? Check out this informative blog post from RTK Environmental Group on the dangers of lead paint in older homes, and see how where you live ranks. You'll be glad you did!