By HENRY L. DAVIS
News Medical Reporter
8/31/2004

Reprinted from Buffalo News

Erie County's efforts to reduce lead paint poisoning, work that was set back by a failed City Hall program, is on track again with the start of an initiative to provide free paint and training to homeowners.

"Anyone can do this with a little knowledge and work," said Andrew McLellan, president of Environmental Education Associates, a Buffalo company contracted to administer the program using a $1.8 million federal grant.

The grant was made under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Operation LEAP, or Lead Elimination Action Program.

Federal housing officials froze financial support for lead-abatement here a few years ago as a result of problems with a separate Buffalo program to remove lead paint. Now, the money is flowing again to parts of the county that need it.

"It's a fresh start," said McLellan. "What's sad is that Western New York has had one of the highest rates of lead paint cases, but no grant money in recent years."

Lead is no longer used in paint, and New York in recent years has dramatically cut its rate of children with lead poisoning. But the problem remains in poorer neighborhoods with older housing stock.

Three ZIP codes on Buffalo's East Side - 14208, 14211 and 14212 - are among the state's top 10 neighborhoods for the highest percentage of lead paint cases, according to a 2001 state Health Department report.

The most common source of lead exposure is lead paint chips that children may eat or contaminated lead dust and soil that children get on their hands and toys.

For children 6 years of age and younger, lead levels of 10 micrograms or more in a deciliter of blood can harm their ability to learn, experts say. A microgram is one millionth of a gram. A deciliter is about half a cup of liquid.

At levels higher than 10 micrograms per deciliter, lead in children can damage kidneys, bone marrow and other body systems.

Under the new initiative, homeowners can obtain free training to make their homes safe and, if they qualify, get free supplies.

"The program is a great public-private partnership," Dr. Anthony J. Billittier IV, county health commissioner, said at a news conference Monday in front of a home recently made safe from lead paint.

The owner of the home at 196 Sprenger Ave., Henry Olomo, rents two units to families with children under age 6. He sought the training and received subsidized paint and supplies to repaint the exterior after the house was evaluated.

"I didn't know anything about the hazards of lead before this," he said. "I have children myself and wouldn't want them exposed."

Under the two-year grant, Environmental Education Associates and the county are required to train 1,200 people, evaluate 850 homes and provide assistance in 450 cases. McLellan said the program is ahead of schedule in meeting these benchmarks.