Document JNMjYwxmb7x4E0OnGnrYQ4J4X

j 50C Socrth Irood Philodtfpn*o Pa. 15146 CITY OF PHILADELPHIA NORMAN U. INGRANAM, M.O. Com/notiontr WALTER J. LEAR. M D. Dvpvty Comm*M*orvf LEWIS D. POLK, M.O. Dept/*y Commiuioor for Commoniry Hoolth Sarvicw Environmental Health: cervices October 23, 1969 Mr. James G. Roumas Director of Health & Safety Lead Industries Association, 292 Madison Avenue New York, N. Y. 10017 Inc. -- ------------- , Dear Jim: I am happy to comment on our ordinance and regulations for the control of lead poisoning in children. As you are probably aware, our regulations were adopted in 1966 which was a culmination of many years of hard work in the documentation of the problem,of working with various community groups and selling the need for this type of legislation both to the community at large and also internally in the Department and other City agencies. Since the ordinance and regulations were adopted in 1966, we hqve con tinued to enforce the removal provisions of the regulations with no addition budgetary appropriation for staff and resources, v/e have dealt with each case individually as it has been reported and investigated, and orders for the removal of lead paint have been- issued, we have found that in 62,-i of the cases the orders were complied with without any further enforcement , action. An additional 20y* were complied with by use of court action in 'the old Magistrates Court system and which is now part of the current Municipal Court system. During the days of the Magistrates Court system, v/e had difficulty in cases involving out-of-town owners because City con stables could not serve summonses outside the city. Currently all summonses are served by way of registered mail and, therefore, it does not make any difference where the owner of the property lives. I would estimate that since the initiation of the enforcement of the regulations that more than 400 properties have been made safe through re moval of lead paint from the surfaces. Ihe most common procedure utilised happens to be by burning, even though we recognise that this is probably the most hazardous of the methods used, we do advise the owner of the hazards involved and the safety precautions he should take. V/e also advise him at the time v/e issue the order of the degree of the removal required wh.th is according to the specifications of accessible surfaces. N 773 2 We have begun to implement the labelling portion of the ordinan that we reviewed paint labels of all companies v/ho sell paint in Phi- phia, and where we felt the precautionary statement did not meet the standards of the regulations, we advised changes to be made. In a number cases, these changes were made and complied with. In addition we had arranged with the Department of Licenses and Inspections to provide a copy of the regulations to each individual applying for a building permit so that they would be informed that lead .paint can no longer be applied to interior surfaces of dwellings which are either occupied or used by children. . We are planning as soon as time will allow to implement the provision dealing with toys and furniture througn surveys and spot checks as far as the hazard of lead paint is concerned. I believe that our regulations and ordinance have been effective. V7e have had difficulty in dealing with those cases which could not be clearly diagnosed as lead poisoning although there was evidence of increased absorp tion of lead. I hope that with adaea budgetary provisions we could initiat a preventive program some time soon. . I appreciate your interest and the support which your organization has given us in the past and look forward to working with you in the future. Sincerely yours RIT;tsr HRdajyr mlUownilLdl XLJ .4 TJmjyleJrL ,f R.SIw fcJ y 'Chief > Accident Control Section LIA-'75683