Controlling lead hazards paint

Although well worth it in health benefits IF done properly, controlling lead hazards in your home can be expensive. Estimates for removing the lead paint from a medium-sized house range from 2500 to as much as 60,000, or even higher, for example in the case of a historic building. ... 

Founded as the National Asbestos Council, EIA is a resource for professionals in the management and control of health hazards to occupants of buildings, facilities, and industrial sites. It de >elops and disseminates information about asbestos, lead based paint hazards, underground storage tanks (USTs), indoor air quality, solid and hazardous waste. 

U.S. EPA has proposed TSCA standards for the disposal of lead-based paint (LBP) debris to replace RCRA regulations. The new standards would establish disposal standards for LBP debris and identify recycling and incineration activities that would be controlled or prohibited. To avoid duplicative regulation, the waste that is subject to these new standards would not be subject to RCRA hazardous waste determination. 

HUD. 1997. Guidelines for the evaluation and control of lead-based paint hazards in housing. Chapter 7 Lead-based paint inspection. 1997 Revision. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

NIOSH. 1997b. Protecting workers exposed to lead-based paint hazards. A report to congress. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-112. January 1997. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, pp. 1-74. 

Year OF Enactment/Amendments Toxic Substances Control Act, 1976 Asbestos Elazard Emergency Response Act Amendment, 1986 Radon Program Development Act Amendment, 1988 Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act Amendment, 1990 Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act Amendment, 1992... 

Alliance for Healthy Homes (2005). Building Blocks for Primary Prevention Protecting Children from Lead-Based Paint Hazards. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health. 

Control of lead-based paint hazards at Federal facilities. 

The term reduction means measures designed to reduce or eliminate human exposure to lead-based paint hazards through methods including interim controls and abatement. 

PART FIVE CONTROLLING LEAD PAINT HAZARDS... 

Imported articles that are intended for decorative use rather than as toys may contain lead paint. Christmas tree ornaments or other types of miniatures or knickknacks may expose small children to lead if they are chewed on or mouthed. For a more detailed discussion about lead in paint and dust, see Chapter 10, For a discussion of how to identify and control lead paint hazards, see Chapters 11 to 13. 

As a parent, the best way to minimize the risk of lead poisoning to your child is to eliminate sources of lead from your child s living environment. For a discussion of controlling lead paint and dust hazards, see Chapters 10 through 13. 

A standard risk assessment, done solely for purposes of prevention, where there is no actual case of lead poisoning, involves inspecting the home for lead paint hazards and testing for lead in dust and soil. This is followed by a detailed listing of what needs to be done to fix or control the lead hazard. The process is described in Chapter 11. 

For an evaluation of the potential hazards in your home related to lead-based paint and dust, as well as advice on controlling those hazards to make your home safe, you can use the services of a professional risk assessor. 

If you do not have either a risk assessment or lead-based paint inspection, you must assume that all surfaces have lead-based paint and take precautions accordingly if you are doing any work that disrupts painted surfaces. Also, once the controls are completed, you will need to have a licensed assessor inspect for any other hazards before your home can be officially declared safe. ... 

Conformance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations as well as the federal HUD guidelines for evaluation and control of lead-based paint hazards. 

Generally, you can choose any one of a number of methods to control lead paint hazards, except for those that are prohibited, as long as the property is found to be safe when it is inspected and tested after the work and cleanup are completed. In a few states and localities, the law requires certain measures for rental property. Less stringent standards may be set for owner-occupied housing. Check your state lead program and local board of health to see if there are any specific requirements in your area. 

Structural problems and water infiltration may have to be taken care of before lead hazard control work begins. So the whole project becomes more expensive if the home is in need of such repairs. Older houses may be more expensive to deal with because they tend not only to have more layers of paint to contend with, but also to have more decorative elements which are difficult to work with, as well as painted kitchen cabinets, radiators, and porches. 

Only properly protected workers should be allowed to enter any area where lead-painted surfaces are disrupted until it is thoroughly cleaned up. Pregnant women, children, and pets should not be present in the home during lead hazard control work. Entry should be allowed only if dust samples are taken and come back showing the home is safe. 

The current federal policy is to permit lead hazards to be controlled by means other than removing or permanently covering lead paint (abatement) for federally financed, insured, or assisted housing. Each state can set its own policy on this matter. The issue has been, and probably will continue to be, very hotly debated. 

Adapted from U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (1995), citing P. E. Marino et aL, A Case Report of Lead Paint Poisoning During Renovation of a Victorian Farmhouse, American Journal of Public Health 80 (1990) 1183-1185. 

Standard Guide for Prevention and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Rental Housing" explains duties of landlord and techniques available. 

Test the paint in your home before doing any renovation or remodeling that would disrupt painted surfaces, if your home was built before 1978. If lead is present, take the same precautions as for lead hazard control work. 

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