City of Akron drops lead paint lawsuit against Sherwin-Williams

AKRON, Ohio --A lawsuit filed against Sherwin-Williams Co. over lead paint used in buildings long ago has been dropped by the city.

Law Director Max Rothal won't elaborate on why the city last week dropped its claim against the Cleveland-based paint maker. He said he discussed it first with Mayor Don Plusquellic.

"We dismissed it because I wanted to step back and take a more in depth look at it," Rothal said Wednesday.

Plusquellic's spokesman Mark Williamson referred questions to Rothal, who refused to discuss his conversation with the mayor.

Akron sued Sherwin-Williams and several others in October. The city sought compensation for the removal of lead-paint hazards in homes and buildings.

Lawsuits filed by Toledo, East Cleveland and Lancaster, about 30 miles southeast of Columbus, remain.

Sherwin-Williams sued in federal court in Columbus seeking to have the lawsuits invalidated. The company claims it should not be held accountable for actions that were legal years ago.

The federal government banned lead paint in 1978, but it still turns up in many older buildings. Lead in the bloodstream can cause neurological damage, as well as problems with attention span and learning disabilities, especially in children.

Earlier this year, a Providence jury found Sherwin-Williams, NL Industries Inc. and Millennium Holdings LLC liable for creating a public nuisance by manufacturing and selling a toxic product.