Tool Library Launches Secure Tool Borrowing Program

The nonprofit Tool Library announced Friday the launch of a lead-free tool borrowing program, in partnership with the Erie County Department of Health and the Western New York Children’s Environmental Health Center.

“We’re putting these tools in the hands of people who really want to improve the space they live in so we can make it healthy and safe for children and everyone inside,” the health commissioner said, Dr. Gale Burstein.

Tool Library is a Buffalo-based nonprofit that has loaned thousands of tools to its members for home improvement and gardening projects. In 2020, it expanded beyond Erie and Niagara counties to serve Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. Memberships, which start at $20 per year to borrow five tools at a time, can be purchased online.

Darren Cotton, executive director of the organization, said members used tools to grow their own food and turn vacant lots into community gardens.

“Now, with funding for specific tool purchases from the Lead-Free Tool Loan Program, we can ensure that when they renovate their home, they can do so safely and affordably “, did he declare.

This is especially important in Buffalo because about 75 percent of homes were built before 1978 and are at higher risk of having lead paint, Cotton said. This can cause several health risks, especially in children, leading to cognitive and other developmental disorders.

In 2023, there have been 541 cases of lead poisoning linked to pre-1978 housing, Burstein said.

Renters, homeowners and homeowners will have access to four high-efficiency particulate air vacuums in the Tool Library inventory to help create a lead-free environment.

HEPA vacuums feature a filter capable of trapping large volumes of small particles that would otherwise not be removed. They cost up to $700, Cotton said.

The Department of Health offers free six-hour classes on lead-free work practices for those who want to learn more about repairing, remodeling and renovating homes or rental housing.

County staff will teach people how to set up a lead-free workspace and protect themselves when working with lead, thereby minimizing dust. After successfully completing the courses, they will receive a free one-year subscription to the Tool Library and can schedule an appointment with their program coordinator to understand how to use the equipment safely.

“The free membership will allow people to borrow anything from the tool library,” Cotton said. “But the caveat is … they have to take the county training. So this is a way to incentivize people who otherwise might not be able to take the training to take the training and then have access to all the training. equipment they need.