Arkansas wins $243,000 EPA grant for lead-based paint program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friday that it has awarded the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) a $243,000 grant to bolster the state’s lead-based paint program, providing for its administration and enforcement.

Lead-based paint poses a serious health risk, especially for children. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children in roughly 4 million homes across the United States are exposed to lead, with the most common source of exposure being lead-based paint and dust containing lead from deteriorating buildings. Approximately 500,000 American children require health intervention due to lead exposure, even though it is entirely preventable.

The ADH program will use the EPA grant to train lead inspectors and fund lead enforcement activities, which will help protect the state’s children from lead exposure.