State works to remove lead dangers Seminar shows property owners how to get the lead out By Monique Balas News-Chronicle Participating in the state's new registry for lead-safe homes and rental properties is optional for property owners. But Lisa Simpson wishes she had the option of looking at such a registry - which lists lead-safe Wisconsin residences - when she bought her home on Smith Street. Her 2-year-old daughter Kyla was poisoned while playing on the Simpsons' sunporch, which is completely contaminated with lead. The windows have high lead content as well. "It would've been nice to know that when we bought the home," Simpson said. Simpson plans to attend a Thursday informational session discussing the benefits of a new lead-free, lead-safe registry. Property owners also will learn about lead-safe home construction practices. The registry became available earlier this year with unanimous approval by the State Legislature. Its inception followed a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision putting full legal liability on property owners if children get lead poisoning on their property. "Nearly all of the assets of property owners are at risk if a child gets lead poisoned, and no property owner wants a child to get hurt," said Al Guyant, an environmental health specialist for the state Department of Health and Family Services. Because insurance rarely covers lead poisoning, property owners could stand to lose everything if they aren't covered, he said. Owners can have a voluntary lead-safe inspection done, make the necessary improvements and then list the property on the registration. An investigation costs between $150 to $400, depending on the size of the dwelling, Guyant said. By paying a one-time, "lead-free" fee of $50, Guyant said newer buildings can use the registry as a marketing strategy. "Apartment owners have told me that they're interested in getting their property declared lead-free because they can attract more tenants," he said. He said many people don't know that some common remodeling practices, such as sanding lead varnish and using a heat gun, can be extremely dangerous. "That (the heat gun) can cause lead to become a fume, and that's the fastest way to get lead into your body. Sanding varnish creates lead dust," Guyant said. As lead poisoning victims go, Kyla Simpson was one of the lucky ones. The lead levels in her blood never got high enough to cause developmental disabilities. By avoiding the affected areas and eating a low-fat diet, her mother said she is on her way to a full recovery. But not all children are as lucky: More than 25,000 children have been poisoned with lead over the past five years, and many of them have suffered severe learning impairments, brain damage or even death. "Lead is almost as toxic as arsenic," Guyant said. "Another way to compare it is, if they took the amount of a coffee sweetener packet (about 1 gram), if that were 100 percent lead, it would severely contaminate a typical single-family house." FYI: The state Department of Health and Family Services will present two public meetings on the new Lead-Free/Lead-Safe Registry, at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Green Bay Metro Transit building, 901 University Ave. Property owners, tenants and anyone else concerned about childhood lead poisoning and relevant financial risks are invited. Visit www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/lead for more information.