Protect Your Family

Paint

Before buying, renting, or renovating your home, have it checked for lead-based paint. Homes, schools, and child care facilities built before 1978 are likely to contain lead-based paint. Assume that the paint has lead unless tests show otherwise. Click here for Lead Based Paint Disclosure (Landlord/Tenant) Video

Water

To find out for certain if you have lead in drinking water, have your water tested. Contact your water company to determine if the pipe that connects your home to the water main (called a service line) is made from lead. To order a free kit call 901-320-3962 or email waterlab@mlgw.org

Soil

Prevent children from playing in bare soil; if possible, provide them with sandboxes. Plant grass on areas of bare soil or cover the soil with grass seed, mulch, or wood chips, if possible. Until the bare soil is covered, move play areas away from bare soil and away from the sides of the house. If you have a sandbox, cover the box when not in use to prevent cats from using it as a litter box. That will help protect children from exposure to animal waste. www.cdc.gov

Consult your health care provider about testing your children for lead. Your pediatrician can check for lead with a simple blood test.

Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods high in iron, calcium, and vitamin C.

Always keep painted surfaces in good condition to minimize deterioration.

Regularly Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers, and toys.

Regularly clean floors, window sills, and other surfaces. Remove shoes or wipe soil off shoes before entering your house.

Don’t try to remove lead-based paint yourself.

•Talk to your landlord about fixing surfaces with peeling or chipping paint.

•Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust when remodeling.

• When renovating, repairing, or painting, hire only EPA- or state- approved Lead-Safe certified renovation firms.