Lowe’s Home Centers will likely pay $12.5 million to settle alleged lead paint violations, after the Department of Justice took action.
The company, under Lowe’s Companies Inc., allegedly violated the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule, according to a DOJ release. This allegedly affected hundreds of homes across America, mostly from 2019 to 2021.
“Careless handling of lead paint endangers the health of children and other Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson, of the DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division, in the release. “The stiff penalty Lowe’s will pay reflects the importance of using certified firms and contractors in older home renovations.”
The EPA claimed Lowe’s failed to successfully comply with a 2014 consent decree with the agency, allegedly violating the lead rule, according to the release.
Now, after the new consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Lowe’s will likely implement a “comprehensive, corporate-wide program” to ensure its firms and installers use practices minimizing the spread of lead dust and paint chips. The new decree is subject to a 30-day public comment and final court approval.
The EPA found the alleged violations after investigating problems Lowe’s disclosed in its periodic compliance reports. The agency found additional reported violations after a public tip about door replacements and other renovation work by a firm that Lowe’s hired to work in southern and central California.
The federal government banned lead paint in residential homes in 1978, according to the EPA.
Of homes built from 1960 to 1977, 24% contained lead paint. Of homes built from 1940 to 1959, 69% contained lead paint. Of homes built before 1940, 87% contained lead paint.
“Contractors hired for work that may disturb paint in homes built prior to 1978, when lead-based paint was in widespread use, must be certified,” Gustafson said in the release. “These contractors have the training to recognize and prevent the hazards that can be created when lead paint is disturbed.”
When lead dust deteriorates or is disrupted, it exposes people nearby to health problems from behavioral disorders and learning disabilities to seizures and death, according to the release.
Young children face the greatest risk, since their nervous systems are still developing.
The only way to determine if a child has a high lead level is a blood test. The DOJ said parents who think their child has been exposed to lead should contact their child’s doctor.
“Noncompliance with EPA regulations aimed at reducing or preventing health risks from lead paint exposure during renovations, repairs, and painting can endanger families, especially young children and infants,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Craig Pritzlaff of EPA-Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, in the release. “Through this enforcement action, Lowe’s will help protect their customers from the harmful effects of lead.”
The City of Dallas began mailing notices to 225,000 customers with “unidentified” water line materials in early October, warning them of the dangers of lead, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Officials asked residents to complete a survey, informing them of the materials in their water lines.
In 2024, the FDA warned consumers to avoid six brands of apple sauce after tests uncovered high levels of lead, as The Dallas Express reported. Also, last year, members of the public expressed concerns about the levels of lead in popular metal Stanley thermos cups.