A painter who can't paint: EPA RRP Testimonial
EPA regulations cast a shadow over the renovation industry
San Luis Obispo, CA, July 7th, 2011 -- George is a painter who doesn’t paint much anymore. He’s an expert at painting old houses, and he’s the kind of guy you call if you want your house painted right.
George’s habit of dotting all his “i”s and crossing his “t”s has begun to hurt him lately. He’s always followed all the rules, but the rules are starting to cost him money.
George—not his real name—loves to work on old houses and specializes in helping to restore them. It’s what’s in those old houses that spells trouble for George and thousands of painters around the country: lead paint.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new guidelines for treating lead paint that changed everything for people like George. In April 2010, the agency began to enforce stringent new rules for dealing with the stuff. Any structure built before 1978 will likely have lead paint in it, and that’s something George has been dealing with for many years.
George isn’t alone. Painters, remodelers, and restorers around the country say their costs have been driven sky high by the new rules. The new costs, along with the dismal economy, have helped further devastate an already fragile industry, they say.
