In the past year and a half, more than 1,200 people have completed the training and are qualified. Lead paint removal, if done improperly, can increase the risk of lead poisoning in children. The DHSS also sponsors lead screenings for children under 6 years old through local health offices. Lead poisoning has affected 1.7 million children nationwide. High levels of lead in the body can have permanent effects on a child's brain and other organs.
Neurological damage can show up in some children as learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
It turns out that children can get the lead dust into their systems in other, less obvious ways. The toxic dust can also be spread during repairs or remodeling. Children ingest the dust by touching dust-covered surfaces and then putting their fingers in their mouths. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned residential use of lead-based paint in 1978, but four fifths of the housing stock in New Jersey was built before that date. The new federal regulations do not require the seller or landlord to perform inspections, or to remove lead paint if any is found.