Lowe’s must pay penalty and improve practices after lead violations.
A major home improvement retailer is set to pay a large federal penalty after investigators found repeated problems with renovation work done in older homes. The company, which has stores across the country, agreed to a settlement that includes a $12.5 million payment and a complete overhaul of its nationwide program related to lead-safe work. The settlement follows findings that its hired contractors did renovation jobs in homes where lead paint could be present without following proper safety steps. These homes, many of them built before 1978, often still contain layers of old paint that can release dangerous dust when disturbed.
Federal officials said the company had already agreed to follow stronger rules in a previous settlement more than ten years ago. The more recent review showed that many of the promised steps were not carried out. Investigators said the company had not made sure that the contractors and firms hired for the work were properly certified or trained to handle homes with possible lead paint. Some issues came to light after the company’s own reports showed problems that had not been fully fixed. Other concerns surfaced when a member of the public sent a tip regarding renovation work done in parts of California. These issues prompted a closer look at dozens of job sites, revealing more situations where lead-safe standards were not followed.
Lead exposure continues to be a major health risk, especially for small children. Even tiny amounts of lead dust can cause serious and lasting health problems. Older homes remain a common source of exposure because much of the paint used before the nationwide ban in 1978 contained high levels of lead. When workers sand, scrape, or remove old surfaces without proper protections, dust and paint chips can spread quickly through a house. Health experts say the particles can move through air, collect on floors, settle on toys, and enter the body through normal hand-to-mouth contact. Children are at the highest risk because their developing bodies absorb more lead than adults. In severe cases, exposure can lead to major health problems such as seizures. The only way to confirm a child’s exposure is through a blood test.
As part of the new settlement, the company must take several steps across all of its stores and contracted services. It must verify that workers hired for older home renovations are trained and certified to handle lead-safe projects. It must also follow stronger screening and record-keeping rules. These steps are meant to reduce the chance that customers’ homes are left with dust or chips that could put families at risk. Officials said the size of the penalty reflects the seriousness of the violations and the number of homes involved.
The agreement was filed in federal court in California and will go through a public comment period before final approval. Federal officials say the changes required by the settlement are intended to prevent future problems and ensure that work done in older homes does not create new hazards. The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Justice Department is overseeing the legal steps connected to the agreement.
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Lowe’s Home Centers to Pay $12.5M Penalty for Lead Paint Violations During Home Renovations
Feds penalize Lowe’s home improvement over claims of lead paint violations
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