Photo by Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times
HOMEOWNERS and contractors considering renovation projects are grappling with the impact of a new Environmental Protection Agency regulation designed to shield children from exposure to lead paint.
Since April 22, all professional renovation projects in apartments and homes built before 1978 — the year the use of lead in paint was banned — that test positive for lead have had to meet federal guidelines and be performed by workers certified in lead-safe practices. Many older apartments in New York, remodeled more than once over the years, have long since been divested of their lead paint. But in a number of cases, contractors said, complying with the new rules could more than double the cost of renovations. Read More