The tenants rights advocates organization ACORN issued a report Wednesday accusing paint manufacturer Sherwin-Williams of not doing enough to remove lead paint from aging housing across the country. The report?s release coincided with protests at 106 Sherwin-Williams stores nationwide, including one in Baltimore.
“We need to hold the company accountable for poisoning our children with lead paint,” said Shuan Reed, whose son suffers from lead poisoning. Joined by at least 30 protesters outside the store on Falls Road, Reed led a line of protesters into the store chanting, “Shame on you!” while bewildered customers and employees watched.
ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, wants the company to pay for removing all lead from older housing to prevent lead poisoning, which has been linked to damaging the brain development of children aged 1 to 6. The report alleges that companies like Sherwin-Williams profited from lead paint sales in the past despite warnings from scientists, and should pay to remove the hazard now.
“Just like the asbestos companies, they profited while they knew it was toxic so they should be the ones to pay for the clean-up,” said Julie Smith, a national spokeswoman for ACORN.
Dr. Peter Beilenson, a congressional candidate and former Baltimore City Health Commissioner, joined the protest, arguing that lead poisoning had broad implications. “A large percentage of our special education students in the city have been lead-poisoned,” Beilenson said. “It?s very similar to the tobacco situation. They knew it was dangerous and yet they still continued to market it as a safe product,” Beilenson said.
While Sherwin-Williams officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday, the company has maintained in hearings before the Baltimore City Council that it willingly took lead paint off the market before it was banned by the federal government in 1978, and that it should not be held responsible for poorly maintained homes. Recently, the City Council rejected a resolution asking the city to sue Sherwin-Williams for money to remove lead paint from city-owned housing.
Protester Donna Dean said the effects of lead hit home for her when a best friend?s great-grandson was poisoned by lead paint. “He can?t read, he can?t write, it?s terrible,” she said of the 5-year-old boy.
