• Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a series on National Lead Safety Awareness Week. Since lead poisoning is completely preventable, the Kane County Health Places Coalition is urging residents to recognize all sources of lead and take action to remove lead safely when repairing or renovating their homes.

A Lead Poisoning Prevention Week display at one of the participating home improvement stores, the Ace Hardware on Galena Boulevard.

Did you know that 49 percent of the housing in Kane County was built before 1978?

This was before the lead paint law went into effect, which means that lead poisoning could be a risk in older homes — and in your home in particular.

The Illinois Department of Health reports that 54 percent of the lead-poisoned children in our region are harmed by pre-1978 paint, especially when the paint peels, when windows and doors are repaired or replaced, or when renovation and remodeling takes place inside or outside.

Because the potential to be exposed to lead paint is so high in Kane County, the Healthy Places Coalition has partnered with retail paint and hardware stores to help educate community members.

If you have any peeling paint or plan to start a home renovation project before the holidays, make sure you take the right steps to ensure your family’s health and safety.

Visit these Kane County business partners for lead safe items and information for home repair or remodel projects:

• Ace Hardware, Lake Street, Aurora
• Ace Hardware Galena Boulevard, Aurora
• Ace Hardware, Batavia
• Ziegler Ace Hardware, Carpentersville
• Menards, Elgin
• Sherwin-Williams, Elgin
• Pittsburgh Paints, Elgin
• Ziegler Ace Hardware, Lillian Street, Elgin
• Ziegler Ace Hardware, Spring Street, Elgin
• Ace Hardware, Geneva
• Ziegler Ace Hardware, Huntley
• Lowe’s, St. Charles
• Sherwin-Williams, South Elgin
• Ziegler Ace Hardware, South Elgin
• Ace Hardware, Sugar Grove

More Than Just Paint

Did you know there are many other risks for lead poisoning besides paint?

Children get poisoned from lead in non-paint sources, including improperly glazed, imported pottery, painted toys, and items produced in other countries, such as spices, jewelry, cosmetics or candy.

Visit the Kane County Health Places website for more information about unusual sources of lead and to learn more about what you can do to help reduce lead poisoning!

Young children under age 6 are active and explore many things by putting them in their mouths. Lead dust that falls on their toys and on the floor or lead they ingest from painted toys or other objects leaches into their brains, interfering with learning.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department, Kane County Healthy Places Coalition news releases

Read The Series

Read The Series

• TUESDAY — Lead Poisoning in Kane County: Geneva Family Survives Scare
• TODAY — Lead Poisoning in Kane County: Real, Serious, Preventable
• THURSDAY — Lead Poisoning in Kane County: FREE Healthy Homes App Can Save Your Life