Supreme Court won't take up lead paint issue from California

The Supreme Court is leaving in place a decision that required paint companies to fund the removal of lead paint from California homes.

The Supreme Court on Monday said it wouldn't take up the issue.

Courts previously ruled in favor of 10 California cities and counties that argued ConAgra, NL Industries and Sherwin-Williams knowingly endangered public health by advertising and selling lead paint.

A Santa Clara County judge found lead paint to be a public nuisance and required the companies to pay $1.15 billion for abatement. A California state court of appeal last November upheld the finding of public nuisance but said the companies only have to pay for abatement in homes built before 1951.

The companies had called the previous rulings unprecedented and noted lead paint was lawful at the time.