Articles Tagged with abatement

For much of the last century and even long before, many of the materials used to construct the average building were toxic – toxic to the workers who made the materials, and toxic to the contractors and laborers who installed the materials. While it seems crazy that deadly toxins were being used in virtually all aspects of construction, including residential homes, it is worse when you consider that producers in the industry were well aware of the harm they were causing and took whatever steps they could to keep the workers and general public from finding out.

One of these dangers was lead paint. For many years, paint was made with lead particles, because the lead helped the paint to stick to the surface and kept the color looking brighter and sharper longer. However, lead paint tends to peel and chip when it gets old, and, when it does, children are likely to play with it and pull it off the wall. Lead paint is also sweet tasting, and this is why it was common, and in places where lead paint remains, is still common, for young children to eat these lead paint chips. Continue reading