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Sierra Club Lawsuits

New Agreement Means Stronger Protections for Children from Lead Poisoning

Case Updates:

August 31, 2009

On August 26, 2009, a coalition of groups, including Sierra Club, reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will result in increased protections for children from exposure to toxic lead. The groups initially filed a federal lawsuit against the EPA in May 2008, after the agency failed to enforce rules that adequately protect children from the health risks associated with lead paint exposure.

Children exposed to lead can suffer from brain damage, resulting in learning disorders, stunted growth, and behavioral problems. The most significant source of lead poisoning in children is lead-based paint in homes built before the federal government banned its use in 1978. Under the Toxic Substance Control Act, the EPA is required to promulgate rules for renovation, repair and painting activities for houses and buildings built before 1978. The existing rules contain many loopholes and arbitrarily exclude whole categories of facilities that Congress intended the agency to regulate. 

Under the agreement, EPA has laid out a timeline to propose and promulgate new rules that better protect children by reducing lead hazards. Sierra Club applauds the new EPA’s swift actions to protect children from this toxic substance.

Details and Documents:

New Agreement Means Stronger Protections for Kids from Lead Poisoning from Renovations
Sierra Club Press Release, August 26, 2009