The state of Maryland has reason to be happy with a new report by the Department of the Environment, which found that the number of children being poisoned by lead in the state fell to an all-time low.

According to the study, the number of children found with dangerous levels of lead in their blood in 2013 was 364. In 2012, the number was 452, which was at the time the smallest amount since testing began in 1993.

Though more children under the age of 6 were tested across Maryland than in previous years – over 100,000 – testing fell in Baltimore. This is troubling because the city has a greater number of older homes with lead paint, which is the leading cause of lead-based poisonings across the state. According to the report, 60 percent of serious lead poisoning cases in Maryland occurred in Baltimore.

The continuous decline of lead poisonings in children was credited by officials to Maryland's almost 20-year-old law requiring owners of rental housing built before 1950 to comply with state inspections and take action if there is an unsafe level of lead found in their buildings. Lead-based paint was common in housing developments built before the 1950s. Officials also stated that the majority of children harmed by the effects of lead lived in buildings that are not regulated by the state, being either occupied by its owner or falling out of the law's jurisdiction.

Homeowners in Maryland concerned with exposing their young children to the harmful effects of lead poisoning can obtain a lead paint inspection from the professionals at Alban Inspections. We offer a wide range of services and can determine if a house is a safe environment, whether you own an old home or are conducting a new home inspection. Alban Inspections will ensure the safety of your family.