Read Press Releases / Media Advisories issued by the Childhood Lead Action Project
07/01/08 - RI Supreme Court Overturns 2006 Lead Industry Verdict Once again, corporate power trumps social justice. We are deeply disappointed with the RI Supreme Court's decision today to overturn the state's case against the lead industry. Based on the evidence – the “smoking gun” – it seemed obvious to us that the industry was guilty as charged. Unfortunately, the RI Supreme Court thought otherwise. The State was at its finest in taking on some of the biggest corporations in the world for creating a public health disaster effecting thousands of Rhode Island’s children. We applaud the tremendous work of Attorney General Lynch and his colleagues for their pioneering efforts in pursuing this cutting edge suit against the lead pigment industry. Although justice has not been served by this decision, it is likely that sometime in the not so distant future – perhaps in some other community – the Industry will be held accountable for their actions in knowingly poisoning America’s children.
07/01/08 - RI Supreme Court Overturns 2006 Lead Industry Verdict 05/10/06 - Childhood Lead Action Project Recognized for its Work 02/23/06 - Lead Pigment Industry Verdict 9/13/05 - The Childhood Lead Action Project offers 8 Free Lead Hazard Mitigation Classes 8/12/05 - Childhood Lead Action Project pleased by Judge Silverstein's decision
05/10/06 - Childhood Lead Action Project Recognized for its Work The Childhood Lead Action Project has recently been presented with three awards for its work on the issue of childhood lead poisoning. The Lead Star Award was presented to the Childhood Lead Action Project on March 30 at the national Indoor Environmental Health and Technologies Conference held in Charleston, South Carolina. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that have done outstanding work in the field of lead poisoning prevention. The Rhode Island Department of Health’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program presented the Public Health Advocacy Award to the Childhood Lead Action Project. The award, given on April 4th is “in recognition of 14 years of the Project’s extraordinary efforts to promote and advocate for the health of Rhode Island’s children”. Most recently, the Childhood Lead Action Project was presented with a special Community Leadership Award on May 5 by the Rhode Island Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition – a group dedicated to improving maternal and child health in RI. Formed in 1992, the Childhood Lead Action Project (Project) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating childhood lead poisoning through education, parent support and advocacy. We are the only organization in Rhode Island working exclusively on this children’s environmental health threat.
02/23/06 - Lead Pigment Industry Verdict This is a thrilling victory! Sometimes in this not so friendly world, the Goliaths are defeated and justice triumphs. This precedent setting decision against the lead pigment Industry feels like a home run for the families devastated by lead poisoning and for a community that has borne the cost of this industry-made public health disaster. The Childhood Lead Action Project applauds the tremendous work of Attorney General Lynch and his colleagues for their pioneering efforts in pursuing this cutting edge suit against the Industry. The lead industry knowingly poisoned America’s children - particularly poor and minority children. It was pure greed and a callous disregard for the well-being of children that the industry continued to use lead pigment in paint. While the industry marketed lead-free paint to the European community and protected farm animals from the dangers of lead, children in the United States continued to be exposed to lead-based paint - in their cribs, their toys and in their homes. It is only right to hold the lead industry accountable for its actions. The public has heavily subsidized the enormous costs involved in getting the lead out - medical treatment for poisoned children, special education costs, lead abatement and the tragic loss of human potential. It’s long overdue that the industry compensate our community for this tremendous injustice. Let ‘s roll up our sleeves and lock up the toxic once and for all!!
9/13/05 -- The Childhood Lead Action Project offers 8 Free Lead Hazard Mitigation Classes The Childhood Lead Action Project (Project) announces 8 free Lead Hazard Mitigation Classes to be offered across the state over the next 2 months. Most owners of pre-1978 rental properties are required by law to take the 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation class by November 1, 2005. This course informs owners about how to identify potential lead hazards in units, cost-effective ways of maintaining a lead-safe property, tenant notification rules and the process for having units inspected. Successful completion of this class will allow property owners to perform lead hazard control work on rental units in certain instances where a child has not already been poisoned by lead. 5 will be conducted in English and 3 will be conducted in Spanish. These free classes are paid for by the Children’s Health Forum. Lead-based paint was commonly used on properties built before 1978 and is a toxic substance that can cause serious harm to children and adults doing renovation work where lead is present. Lead is particularly harmful to children under six. Even low levels of exposure to lead can result in learning disabilities, behavioral problems and reduced learning potential. Children are most commonly poisoned by ingesting or breathing in dust contaminated by lead paint. Since 1992, the Childhood Lead Action Project has worked to eliminate childhood lead poisoning through education, parent support and advocacy. The Project is the only organization in Rhode Island devoted exclusively to this critical issue.
8/12/05 -- Childhood Lead Action Project pleased by Judge Silverstein's decision Childhood Lead Action Projects goal of ending childhood lead poisoning could be close at hand. The Attorney General's case to prove the lead industry's culpability in harming Rhode Island children will commence in October. A verdict declaring the industry responsible could mean inspection, repair, and remediation for all pre-1978 properties, which can be assumed to have lead-based paint and lead in the soil around the property.
Letters written by the corporate law firm Jones Day manipulated case law in order to intimidate Judge Silverstein to recuse himself. Firm lawyer, Paul Michael Pohl, alleged the judge had economic interest in the case due to the sole fact that he owns pre-1978 property. Judge Silverstein firmly stated in his reply and court decision that he would waive any potential gain as he has done in other of the state's class action lawsuits. "Judge Silverstein has a strong history on this case. The lead industry is trying to delay the trial and a speedy and just outcome for Rhode Island," says Roberta Aaronson, Executive Director of Childhood Lead Action Project |
