EPA settles with contractor on lead abatement issues

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice say they have reached a settlement with an Illinois-based renovation contractor regarding alleged violations of the federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting regulations, also known as the RRP rule.

The EPA reached the settlement with Logan Square Aluminum Supply Inc. resolving an investigation tied to renovation projects “Logan Square and its contractors performed in Chicago and Chicago suburbs,” the agency says.

Under the court settlement, Logan Square will implement a program to ensure contractors it hires are certified and trained to use lead-safe work practices to avoid creating lead dust during home renovation activities, according to the EPA.

“Under a parallel administrative settlement agreement, Logan Square will also pay a $400,000 penalty, and perform $2 million of lead-based paint abatement work in lower-income properties located in Chicago and Chicago suburbs in communities with a higher incidence of childhood lead poisoning,” the agency adds.

“Companies that renovate homes built before 1978 must ensure that they hire EPA-certified contractors and follow other EPA rules requiring lead safe work practices,” says Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We will take aggressive action against companies that do not take these important steps.”

The EPA describes renovation as “any activity that disturbs painted surfaces and includes most repair, remodeling and maintenance activities, such as electrical work, plumbing, carpentry and window replacement.”

The agency says it first discovered the alleged violations via customer complaints about a project performed in Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago.