‘Fixer Upper’ stars Chip and Joanna Gaines fined by EPA
‘Fixer Upper’ stars Chip and Joanna Gaines were fined $40G for lead paint violations.
Chip Gaines certainly knows how to shine in front of the camera, although the former HGTV star’s latest broadcast involves a more serious matter than shiplap or demo day: the dangers of lead paint.
On July 26, the home-renovation mogul from Waco, Tex., posted a video to Instagram of himself in a hazmat suit, which teased a clip on the Magnolia blog about the potential hazards of lead-paint removal. The clip also comes well over a month after Gaines and his wife Joanna were fined by the Environmental Protection Agency for violating lead-paint protocol.
“Listen, let me give you some advice. If you’re ever considering renovating a pre-1978 home, hire someone to do it for you, because federal rules require them to be certified and trained to do it safely, to make sure the renovation activates don’t spread lead dust,” the 43-year-old says.
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“There are additional state and local rules renovators have to follow to in some parts of the country to properly handle lead in renovations. If you hire someone to renovate your pre-1978 home, make sure you check to see that they’re lead-safe certified.”
“You don't have to be lead-safe certified if you do it yourself. The rules do not apply to DIYers," he adds in the five-and-a-half minute clip. "However, it's a very good idea for you to understand the rules to protect yourself and your family."
Back in June, Gaines and his wife Joanna were smacked with a $40,000 fine from the Environmental Protection Agency after the stars' company, Magnolia Homes, was accused of violating proper protocol regarding lead-based paint at 33 properties, Fox News reported at the time.
In addition, the parents of five agreed to spend an additional $160,000 to abate lead-based paint hazards in homes and child-occupied facilities in their hometown of Waco.
The EPA said it reviewed video footage of renovations of older homes in multiple seasons of “Fixer Upper” and found it “did not depict the lead-safe work practices” required by the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP). The agency said Magnolia “took immediate steps to ensure compliance with” regulations in the future, as soon as it was notified.
In compliance with the EPA settlement, Gaines addressed the hazards of lead paint on “Fixer Upper,” has discussed lead-based paint safety on his social media account, and released the aforementioned video regarding the dangers of the substance.
The EPA said Magnolia was cooperative in its investigation and volunteered information.
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Lead can affect the body’s organs, and children are particularly susceptible to the dangerous effects, according to the EPA.
Fox News’ Kaitlyn Scallhorn and the Associated Press and contributed to this report.