I would not recommend trying to encapsulate failing paint. The areas that aren't peeling yet probably aren't far behind. I would definitely look into the cost of just replacing the trim. You'll still need to take precautions to prevent environmental contamination when removing the trim instead of stripping, but it will be much less of a headache. Remember that the hazards of lead paint removal go far beyond your own personal safety during the removal. You do not want this stuff in your yard. It's not something that just goes away after a few rainstorms. It stays there and can potentially make the yard unsafe for gardening or recreation.

The US certainly generates far more than its fair share of plastic waste, but you're calling it dumping as though we are forcing other countries to take it. I don't think it's ethical to send plastic waste to these countries when its known that it will be mismanaged, but these countries are also responsible for managing the waste they choose to import.

What this data primarily communicates is where waste management infrastructure and policy is probably lacking, rather than who is ultimately the most responsible for plastic waste in the oceans. The US is terrible when it comes to creating waste, but we also have more effective systems of disposal. My point being that the US isn't lower on the list when it comes to plastic mismanagement per capita because we ship it elsewhere. If that 6% didn't go to other countries it would go into landfills.

I don't understand what you mean. What would be more than half? Half of what exactly?

A small percentage is exported (less than 6% in 2021). Most of it goes into landfills.