EPA Slaps HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines with $40,000 Fine

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is slapping the home renovation company owned by HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines with a $40,000 fine for improper use of lead paint.

Magnolia Homes, the company owned by the HGTV stars, will have to pay the EPA $40,000 for allegedly violating a section of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) dealing with lead paint. They reportedly conducted home renovations using lead paint on several episodes of the HGTV show Fixer Upper, according to a press release from the EPA.

The couple also agreed to educate the public about lead-based paint and ensure their company remains compliant with EPA regulations on lead-based paint.

The EPA investigated the work the Gaineses did on 33 properties and discovered that they improperly used lead paint against EPA regulations.

“It’s important that consumers and contractors understand that improper home renovation can expose residents and workers to hazardous lead dust,” said EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Assistant Administrator Susan Bodine said in a statement. “Through this settlement, Magnolia is putting in place safeguards to ensure the safety of its renovation work and making meaningful contributions toward the protection of children and vulnerable communities from exposure to lead-based paint.”

A spokesperson for Magnolia Homes addressed the EPA fine Tuesday saying that the company took “immediate steps” to comply with EPA regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

“Shortly after being first contacted by the EPA three years ago, Magnolia Homes took immediate steps to bring its activities into compliance with [the Toxic Substances Control Act],” the Magnolia Homes spokesperson told People Magazine Tuesday.

Chip Gaines has already warned the public about using lead-based paint in home renovations.

In March, he tweeted a link to an EPA website urging people to find “certified renovators” that could check their homes for lead hazards.