Lead paint is common in homes built before 1950, and was still actively being used in homes built as late as 1978. If your rental has lead paint, then common activities such as sanding and scraping an old windowsill, or removing paint with a heat gun, can produce dangerous lead dust, chips, and fumes.

Each year there are nearly 150 lead poisonings in Maine, a disproportionate number of these occurring in older rental units. The consequences for landlords can be severe if a child is found with lead poisoning while living in your rental.

All too often lead was often found as a result of a child being poisoned, a 'canary in the coal mine' kind of resolution to identifying this problem. New laws and a more pro-active public health strategy are seeking to 'get the lead out' before children, or others, are poisoned.

This site is designed to provide basic information for landlords in the Greater Bangor area, including Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties.

This site is hosted by GBAOMA as part of a collaboration with: Penquis; the Healthy Maine Partnerships in this area; the Bangor Lead Steering Committee; and the Bangor Region Public Health and Wellness, a Healthy Maine Partnership.

Funding support is provided by the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the Maine Center for Disease Prevention and Control.