The landlord of a large apartment complex in California has agreed in a settlement to make the entire complex lead-safe by December 2000, to pay $1.2 million for lead testing and medical treatment of children who might have been exposed, and to cover city expenses in the case. Landlords must also warn current and future tenants of these hazardous conditions. This landlord was accused of exposing thousands of tenants, many of them children, to dangerous levels of lead paint contamination. Civil cases may still ensue.

The enormous complex was built in the 1930s, when-lead paint was in common use. (Lead paint manufacture in the United States was banned in 1978, although old paint stock continued to be used.) In 1993, several children living there were found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. In a subsequent investigation inside the apartments, the Health Department discovered lead paint levels 25 times the permissible standards. The landlord added to the risk by having some of the paint removed by workers who did not know of the conditions and who were not wearing protective gear - using a process called dry scraping, which spread the contamination, even while children were in close proximity. Even after being warned by health inspectors, the landlord allowed the improper work to continue.

Lead paint abatement can be accomplished by removal, encapsulation, or containment. During removal, special procedures must be used so the dust won't create a hazard for occupants or workers. Containment or encapsulation are less risk-laden and less expensive, but not a final solution to the problem. Should the building or part of it be demolished in the future, even more expensive measures may have to be taken to prevent the spread of contamination. If there's a fire, lead can contaminate the air through smoke.

We can arrange insurance for lead paint contamination, although it can be expensive. It can be written as a separate policy or an endorsement to your Liability policy (most of these policies exclude lead paint and other pollution). Property managers, owners, landlords, and anyone controlling property should have this coverage. Limits are available from $50,000 to $250,000 per claim.