It’s Time to Get the Lead Out
* Identifying hidden toxins
If you live in a house that was built before 1978--or if you own vinyl mini-blinds--there’s a chance that your family is being exposed to lead, a toxic substance that can cause learning disabilities, loss of hearing, mental retardation and even death in small children.
Lead was a major component in house paint before 1950. After that, lead levels in paint were reduced but not eliminated until after 1978. Meanwhile, unknown to most consumers, many imported vinyl mini-blinds also contain lead and pose dangers to children. State Atty. Gen. Daniel E. Lungren recently filed suit against a dozen major companies--including HomeBase, Kmart, J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward--accusing them of failing to disclose the lead risk when selling the blinds to customers.
Home and apartment owners should know that lead can poison their investments too. Starting in September, a new federal regulation will require sellers of pre-1978 multifamily (five units or more) properties to disclose the presence of known lead-based paint to buyers. Residential homeowners will be required to do the same starting in December.
(Adults can also be poisoned by lead. However, a combination of biology and behavior makes the risk to adults less severe than it is to children. Children under the age of 6 absorb as much as 50% of the lead they ingest, while adults absorb roughly 10% to 20%. Adults are also far less likely to stick their fingers in their mouths after touching a lead-loaded surface.)
The good news, if there is any, is that Los Angeles County’s Department of Health Services is kicking off a weeklong lead-awareness campaign this weekend that will allow residents to have their mini-blinds, paint chips, dishes, toys and other household items tested for free at 22 sites in and around Los Angeles.
If you discover that lead is a problem in your home, health service officials can provide you with practical tips to help cope with or abate the dangers.
To find a lead testing site near you and to learn more about household products that can pose lead dangers, call (800) LA-4-LEAD. Don’t procrastinate. The free testing lasts only through July 27.
* It’s July 19--do you know where your tax refund is?
Like millions of other Americans, Michelle filed her federal tax return at the last minute. Then, she waited for her refund. And waited. And waited.
When she was still waiting three months after the April 15 filing date, she called the Internal Revenue Service’s electronic information line, which said only that her return was being processed. Numerous phone calls to the IRS’ help line--the one staffed by real people, at (800) TAX-1040--resulted in nothing but busy signals.
When she finally reached an IRS agent, it turned out that the government was uncertain how to contact her to ask a simple question that was necessary before sending out the check.
Although the specifics of Michelle’s problem--and other people’s--vary, each year thousands of individuals fail to receive their refunds on time--if at all--for reasons that can range from a changed address to a transposed number.
However, you should know that IRS rules require returns to be processed within 45 calendar days of filing. If you haven’t received your refund yet--and the IRS hasn’t contacted you for additional information on your return--you should find out why.
If the delay is caused by an IRS error, the agency owes you interest on the refund starting from May 31 until the date the check is issued. The interest rate through June is at 7% per annum; the rate rose to 8% as of July 1.
If you can’t reach the IRS by phone, consider going into a local IRS office. Addresses and phone numbers are listed in the government section of your phone book.
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Consumer Checklist is a new feature covering a range of pocketbook issues of interest to Californians. To contribute information about new legislation, products, services or surveys, write to Kathy M. Kristof, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053; or e-mail kathy.kristof@latimes.com