the use of lead paint ended in the 1970s.
the use of lead paint ended in the 1970s.
when did the use of lead paint end?
1970s
lead paint or lead-based paint is paint containing lead. as pigment, lead(ii) chromate (pbcro, "chrome yellow"), lead(ii,iv) oxide, (pbo, "red lead"), and lead(ii) carbonate (pbco, "white lead") are the most common forms. lead is added to paint to accelerate drying, increase durability, maintain a fresh appearance, and resist moisture that causes corrosion. it is one of the main health and environmental hazards associated with paint. in some countries, lead continues to be added to paint intended for domestic use, whereas countries such as the u.s. and the uk have regulations prohibiting this, although lead paint may still be found in older properties painted prior to the introduction of such regulations. although lead has been banned from household paints in the united states since 1978, paint used in road markings may still contain it. alternatives such as water-based, lead-free traffic paint are readily available, and many states and federal agencies have changed their purchasing contracts to buy these instead.
lead paint
some lead compounds are colorful and are used widely in paints, and lead paint is a major route of lead exposure in children. a study conducted in 1998–2000 found that 38 million housing units in the us had lead-based paint, down from a 1990 estimate of 64 million. deteriorating lead paint can produce dangerous lead levels in household dust and soil. deteriorating lead paint and lead-containing household dust are the main causes of chronic lead poisoning. the lead breaks down into the dust and since children are more prone to crawling on the floor, it is easily ingested. many young children display pica, eating things that are not food. even a small amount of a lead-containing product such as a paint chip or a sip of glaze can contain tens or hundreds of milligrams of lead. eating chips of lead paint presents a particular hazard to children, generally producing more severe poisoning than occurs from dust. because removing lead paint from dwellings, e.g. by sanding or torching creates lead-containing dust and fumes, it is generally safer to seal the lead paint under new paint (excepting moveable windows and doors, which create paint dust when operated). alternatively, special precautions must be taken if the lead paint is to be removed. in oil painting it was once common for colours such as yellow or white to be made with lead carbonate. lead white oil colour was the main white of oil painters until superseded by compounds containing zinc or titanium in the mid-20th century. it is speculated that the painter caravaggio and possibly francisco goya and vincent van gogh had lead poisoning due to overexposure or carelessness when handling this colour.
lead poisoning