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The little bit of dust resting on the sill of a window seems pretty harmless — and it is, until it gets on the hands or toys of a child or its finer particles slip past vacuum filters and get ejected into the air over the dining room table.

And only if the dust or chips came from a lead-based paint. In the Marshalltown area, however, chances are pretty good it did. Nearly 60 percent of the area's housing stock was built before 1960 and is most at-risk for having lead paint, said Jackie Pippin, coordinator of the local Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program at Primary HealthCare.

As a result, there is a war on lead taking place behind the scenes of day-to-day life, and it is rescuing hundreds from the front lines of enemy fire.



The danger

Lead is a quiet threat both before and after it comes in contact with people. Chipping paint or dust may not be readily noticed and the side effects of lead poisoning do not shop up right away.

But its danger locally is very clear: 16.7 percent of children tested — and last year nearly 4,000 people who visited McFarland Clinic, Primary HealthCare, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program or Head Start got tested — were considered lead poisoned. That is more than 10 times greater than the national average of 1.6 percent. Children in Hardin, Benton and Tama counties are only slightly better off, but still above the state average of 7.5 percent lead poisoned.

Once in the blood, which is where it goes first, lead will slowly settle into soft tissues and ultimately bones. When it reaches those places, it can harm a person's intelligence, hearing and growth.

While Pippin said only one local child has ever been rushed to a hospital, lead poisoned children often suffer from inattention, distractability and impulsivity and need assistance at school in reading, higher math and organization.

"We can't reverse the damage but we can eliminate the hazard," she said.



The battle begins

The City of Marshalltown gathered its ammunition several years ago by petitioning the federal government for help, including lobbying on visits to Washington, D.C. From that, grant funding has come for six years now of ridding area homes of lead hazards.

"We had to fight pretty hard for this [second three-year grant]," said Michelle Spohnheimer, director of the lead abatement program. "We're probably the smallest community to receive funding."

And they have since ripped out and destroyed lead-tainted windows, doors, siding and roofs; covered over dangerous walls with interior and exterior painting and protected contaminated dirt with landscaping, among other efforts.



Start to finish

To target your home or rental unit for elimination of lead, the process starts with an application.

From applications come inspections — thorough inspections. Sample wipes of dust, x-ray readings and soil samples are taken from window sills and troughs, trim, baseboard, doors, walls, closet shelves and the floors or ground around them all. In all, 300 to 500 readings are collected, taking 15 to 20 minutes per room. Basically it is an all-day affair.

"Every house we've inspected has had lead paint," said Joel Chandler, city lead inspector.

That total stands at 425 houses. And then there is paperwork.

Eligible homeowners or tenants must meet income limits — $44,900 for a family of four — and the task of making the home completely lead-safe must not exceed $24,999.

Families with children under 6 and with lead-poisoned children go to the top of the waiting list.

Architecture and historical societies have to sign off on the home, too, certifying the home has no local significance.

Along with verification of income is whether mortgage payments, taxes and utilities are all paid up.

"We don't want to invest in a property if its in the process of being foreclosed on," Spohnheimer said. "We have to be careful with our funds because we're taxpayer funded."

After the work is done, a lien is placed against the property while 20 percent of the cost is forgiven each year. At the end of five years, the lien is free and clear. The test results remain a permanent record on the property.



The work

During the week-long removal of lead hazards, the family has to remove all of their belongings and stay in a duplex or one of two apartments provided by the city.

"Sometimes removing a hazard is a greater hazard," Chandler said. "You create a lot of dust and track it around the house.

Contractors have to be certified through a 40-hour course with each of their employees certified through 24 hours of training, and typically four to seven bid on each project.

As part of the inspection, Chandler also gathers information helpful to contractors so that their bidding is accurate.

"This agency is probably the best one in the state as far as working with contractors and clients, and we've seen quite a few of them," said Ray Pettengill, owner of one of the city's often-used contractors.

During the project, they put down plastic if they scrape paint and clean up every area thoroughly when they are finished.

"Cleaning's a big issue, and they do lead tests on the floors after the fact," Pettengill said. "We have to be a lot cleaner than regular contractors have to be."



The reaction

"We've had people just ecstatic [about the improvements]," Chandler said. "This is my first real public service job and it's something I really enjoy, knowing [lead] levels are coming down."

Landlord Trudy Sharp, who first heard of the program at a rental property association meeting, said most of the tenants she has had lead removed for have been really happy, particularly those with young children.

"They feel more secure, knowing their children aren't going to be subjected to lead dust and long-term health problems," she said.

The grant program is an incentive for landlords and tenants alike. Sharp pitches in just 10 percent of the cost, lets the city do the hard work of bidding and overseeing the project and receives the benefit of the improvements as long as she owns the rental five years.

"The [tenants] that pay their own heat like it because its new, tight [and saves them money]," she said. "As for cleanliness, you wouldn't know a contractor was here."

Sometimes the incentive spurs more work too.

"The work is so overwhelming without any help, so [the project] gives people an incentive to do more," Chandler said.



The aftermath

A child is continually monitored once the lead in their blood reaches 10 milligrams per deciliter. The state considers them lead poisoned at 20. Pregnant and expecting women should be under 10 as well, and adults should be below 25.

Pippin has seen some local children's levels in the hundreds.

Continued testing is recommended for children at 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, three years, four years and five years. A new state law now requires all children entering school to have been tested for lead.

Because the lead abatement program only makes homes lead-safe, not lead-free, continued vigilance is necessary — watching to make sure all paint stays in tact.

"Basic cleaning is one huge way to prevent lead poisoning," Spohnheimer said.

A proper diet, too, can minimize lead's harmful effects on the body.

What about all the recalls of toys? So far Pippin is not aware of anyone in the country who has been diagnosed as lead poisoned because a recalled product.

"But I believe knowledge is power. If you give parents knowledge, it empowers them to make choices," she said.



The future

The current grant ends this October, but the city is planning to compete for another three-year extension of the grant.

"We could easily continue funding for many more years and still be reducing hazards," Spohnheimer said.

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Contact Ryan Brinks at 641-753-6611 or rbrinks@timesrepublican.com

 

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