Lowe's Home Centers, a subsidiary of Lowe’s Companies, Inc., has agreed to pay a $12.5 million penalty as part of a proposed nationwide settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The settlement addresses alleged violations of the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule during renovation work by Lowe’s contractors at homes across the United States between 2019 and 2021.
The agreement requires Lowe’s to enhance its compliance program for renovations in homes that may contain lead-based paint. This includes implementing a corporate-wide program to ensure that firms and installers hired by Lowe’s are qualified to use lead-safe practices to prevent spreading lead dust and paint chips during renovations.
According to Craig Pritzlaff, Acting Assistant Administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, "Noncompliance with EPA regulations aimed at reducing or preventing health risks from lead paint exposure during renovations, repairs, and painting can endanger families, especially young children and infants." He emphasized that this enforcement action would help protect customers by ensuring certified contractors conduct renovation work in homes built before 1978.
Adam Gustafson, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division, noted that "careless handling of lead paint endangers the health of children and other Americans," adding that the penalty reflects the importance of using certified firms for older home renovations.
The EPA discovered some alleged violations after investigating issues disclosed by Lowe’s in compliance reports required under a 2014 consent decree. Additional violations were found following a public tip about renovation work in California. Lead-based paint was banned in residential use in 1978 but remains present in many older buildings. Lead exposure poses significant health risks, particularly to young children whose nervous systems are still developing.
The consent decree is lodged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and awaits a 30-day public comment period followed by final court approval. Details on submitting comments are available on the DOJ Proposed Consent Decrees webpage.
More information about this case can be found on [the 2025 Lowe’s Home Centers Settlement case summary](https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees), while details regarding the previous enforcement settlement agreement are accessible through [the Lowe’s Home Centers LLC Settlement case summary](https://www.epa.gov/enforcement).
Information from this article can be found here.
