New Rule Seeks to Protect Kids From Lead Paint

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"Even though lead-based paint was banned in 1978, we're still dealing with it," Gulliford said. "For example, two-thirds of houses and half of the schools and day-care centers built before 1960 have some lead-based paint."

The EPA estimates that almost 38 million U.S. homes still have some lead-based paint.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2002, there were an estimated 300,000 children with elevated blood lead levels, Gulliford said. "That is a great improvement, but it's not good enough. This new rule is an important step toward halting lead poisoning of our nation's children," he said.

More information

To learn more about the health risks posed by lead, visit the EPA.