Helping Prevent Lead Poisoning by Combining Two Unique Safety Technologies: Bitrex Bitterant and ECOBOND LeadDefender Paint

PORTLAND, Ore. - March 13, 2017 - PRLog -- Market Actives, LLC announces today that Bitrex® Bitterant has been incorporated into Ecobond® LLC's LeadDefender® Paint.  LeadDefender, the first and only coating product with patented technology to reduce lead biohazards, collaborated with Bitrex to further reduce lead ingestion hazards.  Bitrex, the bitterest substance known, is added to LeadDefender to reduce accidental ingestion of potentially harmful lead containing paint or dust a child may ingest.

Lead poisoning is a continuing crisis impacting children in thousands of communities.  The Centers for Disease Control reports over 500,000 US children tested with elevated levels of lead and over 24 million homes have deteriorating lead paint.  There is no safe level of lead in humans; lead attacks every body system and can have a significant impact on learning, neurological and behavioral development.

"Recently we learned about Bitrex Safety Technology and its wide use in preventing accidental poisonings in household cleaners and detergents.  Right off we saw the potential to combine our two technologies," says James Barthel, President of ECOBOND® LLC. "Lead Defender's unique chemistries are designed to treat the biohazard by chemically binding the lead to help reduce absorption.  Adding Bitrex reduces ingestion making our product even more effective in risk reduction."

After meeting at the 2016 Lead and Healthy Housing Conference, scientists from ECOBOND® and Market Actives, the US Bitrex distributor, began research to bring the idea to market.  Testing in the UK by Bitrex owner Johnson Matthey included human panel taste tests to provide independent lab certification that Bitrex in the new product would be aversively bitter.  Studies in the US assured exceptional performance standards and specifications of Lead Defender® were maintained with Bitrex added.

"Market Actives is committed to reducing childhood poisoning and has been developing Bitrex Aversive Technology since 1993.  Children in our community are being poisoned by lead and we saw an opportunity to help," says Kristin Cordz, VP Business Development at Market Actives. "These two unique products are focused on the same mission: Helping Protect Children."

Lead Defender® Paint with Bitrex® is available in 1 gallon and 5 gallon containers.  It is compliant with EPA and HUD for lead interim control, is easy to apply, provides a long-lasting finish and cleans up easily with water.  With over 15 years in patented and proven success, the ECOBOND® family of products have been extensively used in successfully treating lead hazards in over 11,000,000 tons of material while serving over 100,000 customers.  Ecobond was founded in 2000 and is based in Arvada, CO.  For further information visit www.Ecobondlbp.com.

BITREX® is the world's leading bitter safety technology. It's produced by Johnson Matthey, a global specialty chemicals and sustainable technologies company founded in 1817.  Bitrex is a branded ingredient used in a wide range of products from children's finger paints to antifreeze, from nail polish remover to laundry detergent packets. For further information visit www.bitrex.com.

Market Actives, LLC is the exclusive US distributor for Bitrex and is a recognized leader in development of this safety technology used in hundreds of US consumer products.  Founded in 1993, Market Actives is based in Portland, OR. For further information and Bitrex Taste Test Kits, visit www.marketactives.com.