Judge dismisses suit against paint maker

TOLEDO (AP) — A judge in Toledo has dismissed a lawsuit filed against paint maker Sherwin-Williams over lead paint used in buildings long ago.

Toledo and several other cities in Ohio had filed lawsuits against the Cleveland-based paint maker over the last year. Many cities, including Akron and Cleveland, have since dropped the lawsuits.

Sherwin-Williams says it shouldn’t be held accountable for actions that were legal years ago. The company sued in federal court in Columbus seeking to have the lawsuits invalidated.

The federal government banned lead paint in 1978, but it still turns up in many older buildings.