SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Over a hundred Massachusetts children have suffered from lead poisoning in the last six years.
Springfield has a huge volume of old houses, so the federal government has stepped in to help protect children from lead exposure. If you live in a home built before 1978, there’s a good chance that it contains lead paint, which could put your child at risk.
The Department of Public Health identified Springfield as being the state’s highest risk for lead poisoning for young children. Massachusetts lead law requires all homes with children under the age of six to be lead-free, and that the seller of the home disclose any lead issues.
The Department of Public Health estimates that 90 percent of homes built before 1978 have never been tested for lead. Square one held a lead prevention fair Wednesday to raise awareness of this issue.
“We have a lot of these young children coming into these older homes and they are not well maintained, paint chipping,” said Ramona Matos, community health worker at Square One. “The parents don’t know until they take their child to get tested.”
Exposure to lead can lead to development issues and even death. The City of Springfield just launched a new Lead Hazard Reduction program that is being funded by the federal government.
“We are excited about the opportunity to help these homeowner’s ad really contribute to reducing the cases of lead poisoning and elevated blood levels throughout the city,” said Nigel Greaves, senior program manager at Lead Hazard Reduction Program.
Greaves told 22News they’ll be able to provide up to $20,000 worth of funding for lead abatement work for a single-family home. Greaves said their goal is to make 100 Springfield homes lead-free over the next few years.
