Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental health problems. In order to understand why lead poisoning continues to be prevalent in the United States, one must understand its history.
1897
Doctors in Australia were the first to recognize that paint and childhood illnesses had a connection.
1909
France, Belgium and Austria ban lead-based paint
1910
The House of Representatives conducted a hearing to introduce a bill to ban lead-based paint. Great Britain was among those countries who realized the dangers of lead. That same year another bill was introduced that called for Federal intervention in regulating the manufacture, sale and use of any paint containing white lead. Included in the bill was a requirement that all lead-based paints have a warning label on them that read “Poison: White Lead”. A skull and crossbones were to be put on the label. The bill did not pass.
1921
The 3rd International Labor Conference of the League of Nations met. Four hundred delegates from forty nations discussed lead regulation. The United States did not attend the conference and did not agree to the resolution to ban lead-based paint from homes. The president of National Lead Company admitted that lead is a poison.
1922
Greece and Tunisia ban lead-based paint.
1924
Czechoslovakia bans lead-based paint.
1926
Great Britain and Sweden ban lead-based paint.
1927
Poland bans lead-based paint.
1930’s
Specialists recognize lead as a hazard to children. The lead industry began waging campaigns to promote the use of lead-based paint in the United States.
1931
Yugoslavia bans lead-based paint.
1934
Cuba bans lead-based paint.
1938
The lead industry launched a campaign to dispel public fear about lead. Babies and children were shown in the ads touching paint “without harm”. Painting toys, cribs and furniture was encouraged.
1940
The campaign expanded to include the promotion of using lead-based paint in municipal, state and county institutions including schools, court houses and health facilities.
1943
Time magazine ran an article that alerted people to the dangers of lead. The Lead Industries Association refuted the report.
1952
Director of Health & Safety of the Lead Industries Association noted 197 reports of lead poisoning with 40 deaths. The Director was quoted as saying childhood lead poisoning was a “major headache”.
1956
Parade magazine ran an article that was titled “Don’t Let Your Child Get Lead Poisoning”. It reached seven million readers.
1970
Federal legislation prohibited use of lead-based paint in federal and subsidized buildings.
1978
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the sale of lead-based paint in the United States.
During the period of 1910-1978 over 4,000 tons of lead pigment was used in the United States. Millions of homes were painted with lead based paint during this period of time. Although the sale of lead-based paint is now prohibited, the tragic effects continue to haunt us today.