Baltimore, MD – Baltimore health officials are concerned that landlord negligence is perpetuating the risk of lead exposure and poisoning for residents.
In February, the Baltimore City Council called for increased cooperation between city, state, and federal officials in order to control the city’s lead poisoning crisis. However, the Council’s resolution has not produced the desired results.
Landlords owning rentals built before 1978 are required to register with the Maryland Department of the Environment within 30 days of acquisition. All registered properties must undergo a lead inspection conducted by an MDE accredited lead paint inspector.
“So many landlords have just stopped registering their units and certifying their units,” said City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke. She explained that Baltimore landlords are renting their units without the proper registration and certification in order to avoid lead inspection.
Because so many rental properties are unregistered, it is unclear how many units in Baltimore contain lead paint, but the Baltimore City Health Department has already put together a list of 400 addresses with active lead violations.
Adding to the problem, there is a disparity between federal and state definitions of lead blood poisoning. The state of Maryland maintains that the legal level is 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter, while the Centers for Disease Control announced that any level of lead in the human body is considered lead poisoning.
More than 56,000 children under the age of six, who are currently residing in Baltimore, are at risk for lead poisoning.Exposure to lead can cause irreversible brain damage, seizures, damage to the kidneys and nervous system, and even death.
Studies show that 33% of renters move every year. The Maryland Department of the Environment is working to improve their computer databases in order to allow renters to easily access information, including lead inspection and certification, should they need to relocate to safer conditions.
