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Lead: Paint Makers Facing Major Legal Assault
Drawing inspiration from the recent legal assault on tobacco, trial lawyers and politicians across the US are "gearing up to mount a major assault" on the former makers of lead paint, which was banned in 1978 but still poisons children
(Greenwire, Apr. 7).The movement "marks the revival of a battle that has faded from public consciousness." After the government banned lead in paint, the industry "beat back" major lawsuits and have never faced a full trial. But the alliance between trial lawyers and state attorneys general against the tobacco industry has "broadened everyone's thinking about creative legal remedies," said Don Ryan of the DC-based Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning.
Just as the tobacco suits sought to recover Medicaid funds used to treat sick smokers, lead paint lawsuits would likely seek recovery of government funds spent on medical care or to remove lead from housing.
Paint and pigment makers deny responsibility, saying they voluntarily stopped using lead in paints in the 1950s and supported the federal ban in 1978. Also, they say it is impossible to affix blame because lead also exists in other commonplace products
(Saundra Torry, Washington Post, June 10).Meanwhile, New York Times columnist John Tierney says "lead- poisoning lawsuits against landlords have become a booming industry for lawyers"
(June 10).Cincinnati Looks to New Lead Program
The Cincinnati Board of Health will receive recommendations tonight from the city's Environmental Advisory Council to establish a new "Preventive Lead Control Program." The advisory group wants to see an end to the city's "historically haphazard" approach to preventing lead poisoning among children
(Tim Bonfield, Cincinnati Enquirer, June 10).