Lowe must pay fines and improve practices after lead violations.
A major home improvement retailer is set to pay a large federal fine after investigators repeatedly found problems with renovation work on older homes. The company, which has stores nationwide, agreed to a settlement that includes a $12.5 million payment and a full review of its nationwide lead-safe work program. The settlement follows findings that contractors he hired performed renovation jobs on homes where lead paint may have been present without following proper safety precautions. These homes, many of them built before 1978, often still have layers of old paint that can release hazardous dust if disturbed.
Federal officials said the company agreed to adhere to stronger rules in a previous settlement more than 10 years ago. A recent review shows that many promising initiatives were not implemented. Investigators said the company did not ensure that contractors and firms hired for the work were properly certified or trained to handle homes with possible lead paint. After the company disclosed these issues in its reports, some cases were not fully resolved. Other concerns came to light when a member of the public sent in a tip about renovation work in parts of California. The issues prompted a closer look at dozens of workplaces, revealing more situations where lead-safe standards were not followed.
Lead exposure is a major health risk, especially for young children. Even small amounts of lead dust can cause serious and long-lasting health problems. Older homes remain a common source of exposure because most of the paint used before the nationwide ban in 1978 has a high level of transparency. When workers sand, scrape, or remove old surfaces without proper precautions, dust and paint chips can quickly spread throughout the home. Health experts say the particles can move through the air, collect on floors, settle on toys, and enter the body through normal hand-to-mouth contact. Children are most at 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 will have to take several steps across all of its stores and contract services. It must be verified that workers hired for major home renovations are trained and certified to handle lead-safe projects. It should also follow strong screening and record keeping rules. These measures are intended to reduce the chance that dust or chips are left in consumers’ homes that could endanger families. The size of the fine reflects the seriousness of the violations and the number of houses involved, officials said.
The agreement was filed in federal court in California and will undergo 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 on older homes does not create new hazards. The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Justice Department is overseeing legal actions related to the deal.
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Lowe’s Home Centers to pay $12.5 million fine for lead paint violations during home renovations
The feds fined Lowe’s Home Improvement over claims of lead paint violations
