Home renovation TV stars face EPA fine

June 5th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

The Environmental Protection Agency announced June 6 that it had reached a settlement with Magnolia Waco Properties, LLC, the home remodeling company owned and operated by stars of the HGTV reality series "Fixer Upper." According to an EPA news release, the company, which also operates under the name Magnolia Homes, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $40,000 after citing evidence from footage of the TV show that employees of the company did not take proper precautions related to the handling of lead paint.

"Magnolia Homes was cited by the EPA for infractions of the RRP rule."

Magnolia Homes is owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines, who star in "Fixer Upper" and work with contractors to renovate properties in and around Waco, Texas. According to ratings reported by Rapid TV News in January, "Fixer Upper" was one of the top five most-watched TV programs in its time slot, helping to make the Gaines into a pair of renowned celebrities since first airing in 2013.

Details of cited violations

The case brought by the EPA against Magnolia Homes concerns work on 33 homes featured in several episodes of "Fixer Upper." According to the news release, EPA investigators who reviewed the footage alleged that it depicted work conditions that did not comply with the EPA's Renovation, Remodeling and Painting Rule. The RRP rule includes a provision of the Toxic Substances Control Act that aims to limit exposure to lead-based paint, commonly used until 1978. The RRP rule requires all firms performing professional renovation services to take specific steps to reduce the risk of lead exposure to workers and well as future occupants. Although recent data is not available, the EPA cited a 2006 federal study in its estimation that more than 30 percent of all U.S. homes still have some amount of lead paint inside.

After reviewing footage from "Fixer Upper," the EPA cited Magnolia Homes for violations of the RRP rule, with infractions including:

• A lack of EPA certification prior to performing renovations covered by the RRP rule.
• Not providing homeowners or occupants with legally mandated reading materials that discuss the risk of lead exposure in pre-1978 residences.
• Not taking steps to limit workplace lead exposure through measures like closing doors and windows to indoor work areas, or covering the ground, floors and ducts within a work site with plastic sheeting to collect falling paint chips.

Response and outlook

After being notified of the violations uncovered during the investigation, the EPA said Magnolia Homes responded quickly.

"After EPA contacted Magnolia with concerns about the company's compliance, Magnolia took immediate steps to ensure compliance with the RRP Rule, including to obtain RRP certification and training for the firm and its staff and to ensure active compliance across all ongoing renovation projects," the EPA news release said.

In addition to the civil penalty, Magnolia Homes pledged to fund $160,000 worth of lead abatement projects in homes and child-occupied facilities in the Waco area. In response to the EPA investigation, Magnolia Homes will adopt new recordkeeping protocols, as well as produce a video featuring "Fixer Upper" co-host Chip Gaines to discuss the dangers of lead paint and the federal regulations related to limiting exposure.