Home Depot Admits It's Under Criminal Investigation For Alleged Unsafe Practices For Handling Lead Paint Issues In Home Renovation Work

In Atlanta, Georgia, WSB-TV Channel 2 reports:

• Atlanta-based Home Depot is under fire over allegations that contractors skipped safety precautions, putting workers and customers at risk for lead poisoning.
  
  The company admits the EPA launched a criminal investigation into alleged unsafe practices for removing lead from homes across the country.
  
  Channel 2’s Dave Huddleston has learned the EPA’s criminal division are looking at several cases where workers with Home Depot may not have followed procedure to remove dangerous lead paint.
  
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  Home Depot released information on the case [recently], saying in January, the company became aware of the investigation by the EPA’s criminal investigation division into the company’s compliance with lead-safe work practices.
  
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  We’ve been in contact with Home Depot. They said they couldn’t go on camera because of the investigation. But they said in a statement: “Lead-based paint work make up only about 4 percent of our total business and these rules only apply to segment of that total. We’re taking it very seriously, we’ll continue to cooperate with the investigation.”

For the story, see Home Depot accused of unsafe practices; Criminal investigation launched. contamination epa environmental protection agency