Lead was first used in paint in the U.S. before the 1800s.   It became a popular ingredient for paint because of its durability, pigmentation, and its ability to act as a drying agent.   Other important qualities that made it popular for use in homes, particular on the exterior, in bathrooms, and in kitchens, was its resistance to mildew.   Through the 1940s, paint contained lead concentrations of up to 80 percent by weight.   The use of lead in paint decreased over the years until its ban in 1978.   As a result, older units tend to have paint with higher concentrations of lead, more coats or layers of lead-based paint, and larger surface areas covered with lead-based paint.

Lead-based paint is still available for industrial, military, and marine usage.   The phase-out of leaded gasoline for use in automobiles began in the 1980s and was complete in January 1996.

Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal.   Lead accumulates within various organs in the body; it is stored for extended periods in the bones and can cause serious and long-lasting physical and neurological problems.   When lead enters the body, the lead becomes an improper part of the body’s chemistry and starts to inhibit normal bodily functions.   The body cannot process the lead and the excess amounts can be stored in the bones for decades after the initial exposure.   The amount of lead in a person’s blood is a measure of lead poisoning.