Healthy Homes Coalition
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Get The Lead Out - Healthy Homes Coalition

Lead Events
Renovate Right Training

Beginning April 2010, all renovators, remodelers and painters working in pre-1978 housing will be required to be an EPA-certified renovator trained in lead safe work practices.  This requirement will apply to all renovation projects, not just lead abatement.  Effected trades include remodelers, renovators, window replacement workers, painters, electricians, plumbers, and any other trades that disturb painted surfaces during the course of their work.  Landlords who make repairs themselves will also be required to have this certification.

Lead Events
Laws for Landlords Seminar - April 22

The Rental Property Owners Association (RPOA), in collaboration with the Healthy Homes Coalition and the City of Grand Rapids, is holding a special seminar entitled "Protect Your Rental Properties from Lead Based Paint Liabilities" April 22 at 6:00pm.  The seminar will be held at DeVos Place (room Monroe B) in Grand Rapids.

The seminar is being held in response to the new federal Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule that will go into effect that day, as well as the recent Federal lawsuit against two Grand Rapids landlords for non-compliance with federal housing regulations.

General Interest
Health Professionals Asthma & Lead Training (March 12)

GRAND RAPIDS - A full-day training for nurses and other health professionals will be held at the Prince Conference Center at Calvin College.  Come learn more about what you can do to help prevent childhood lead poisoning in our community!

6.5 contact hours for nurses pending with the Wisconsin Nurses Association.

More news and events!

Lead & Gardens

What’s the Deal with Lead?

  • Lead is toxic to humans.  It causes brain damage and other health problems.
  • Young children (infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers) are especially at-risk for lead poisoning.
  • Sources of lead in the community are primarily lead-based paint and past use in gasoline.
  • Once lead gets in the soil, it does not go away.
  • The most serious source of exposure to soil lead is by eating of soil or dust.  Plants do not generally absorb lead, but soil gets on their leaves and roots.
  • Vegetables with highest levels of lead are the surfaces of root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots.  Some leafy vegetables such as lettuce can also have high levels of lead.
  • Standard soil lead levels in the State of Michigan are 21 parts per million (ppm).

What about Grand Rapids?

In 2009, the Healthy Homes Coalition tested three community gardens in the city of Grand Rapids for soil lead content.

All three had soil above the Michigan background levels of 21 ppm:
  • 216 ppm (an East Hills community garden)  
  • 110 ppm (a Garfield Park community garden)
  • 72 ppm (a Garfield Park community garden)
While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that soil lead levels below 400 ppm are not hazardous, no lead is good for children.

How to Protect Your Family
  • Always wash vegetables before eating.
  • Wash hands after gardening.
  • Don’t wear gardening shoes inside the home.
  • Add lime to your soil to maintain soil pH levels above 6.5 to limit lead availability to plants.
  • Add organic matter to your soil to bind the lead.
  • Don’t let your kids eat dirt.

Click here for some more, in-depth information from the University of Minnesota Extension.

Click here for a flier of this page that you can share with friends and fellow gardeners (PDF, 524 KB).

Support Healthy Homes Coalition

Making sure children grow up in homes that are healthy and safe is everyone’s job!  The Healthy Homes Coalition is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more about specific ways you can help protect children. Connect with us today!