San Diego will receive a $15 million payout from paint manufacturers accused of knowingly using toxic lead in their products long after its dangerous health consequences were shared the public. City Attorney Mara Elliott explained in a news release that San Diego will use the money to remove lead paint from local homes.
In 1978, lead paint was banned by the federal government, but it is still present in many homes and poisons tens of thousands of children every year.
The $15 million is San Diego’s share of a $305 million settlement between the paint companies and 10 California jurisdictions, including Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Monterey County, San Mateo County, Solano County, and Ventura County.
The settlement, which settles 19 years of litigation, allows the counties and cities in the suit to access lead paint abatement funds without further delay and gives the jurisdictions “greater flexibility to create more expansive, efficient, and effective clean-up programs tailored to the needs of their communities,” Elliott’s statement also said.
Sherwin Williams said in a statement this settlement “represents a significant reduction in their recovery,” and called the lawsuit wasteful.“While Sherwin-Williams continues to believe that this litigation was unfair, unwarranted and unwise, the resolution announced today will enable all parties to move forward and is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders,” the company also explained. The company noted that lead paints were long considered the “gold standard” over a century ago.
“After years of litigation against big corporate interests, the lead paint industry will finally be held accountable for exposing tens of thousands of children to a toxic chemical that damages their central nervous systems and their ability to learn,” Elliott said. “This battle has only strengthened our resolve to seek justice for our community and hold accountable anyone who imperils the health and safety of our children.”
Photo by Yoann Siloine
