If my home may contain lead paint, how can I get tested?
EPA RRP Lead-Based Paint Certification and Safety Laws
As with any new program, most people, both homeowners and contractors, who first hear about the EPA’s lead paint certification program are highly skeptical. However, we found that when they REALLY investigated the problem, they realized that the program is necessary to educate those people who could inadvertently lead to lead poisoning exposure. Today, many people, including contractors, are initially caught off guard and unaware of the very real health hazards associated with paint that contains lead when it breaks. In short, lead-based paint is dangerous to your health
LEAD PAINT IS LIKE AN ALIGATOR!
How many people would jump into a neighborhood pond if they knew of an alligator that lives in it? However, many people have jumped into such a pond or had their dogs drink water from said pond, only to find out after it is too late that an alligator lived in it. In the world of lead paint … alligator is paint that contains lead, and the pond is a house built before 1978. Today, lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for people. children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can alter mental function. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span. It can also delay fetal development, even with extremely low levels of lead. In adults, it can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and the nerves that control the body. Lead poisoning can also cause problems with reproduction (such as a decreased sperm count). It can also increase blood pressure. Therefore, young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead.
Children should be tested for lead poisoning.
In communities where houses are old and deteriorating, take advantage of available screening programs offered by local health departments and have children checked regularly for lead poisoning. Because the early symptoms of lead poisoning are easy to confuse with other illnesses, it is difficult to diagnose lead poisoning without medical testing. Early symptoms may include persistent tiredness, irritability, loss of appetite, upset stomach, reduced attention span, insomnia, and constipation. Failure to treat children in the early stages can cause permanent or long-term health damage.
How are people exposed to lead in paint?
Contractors or individuals involved in home renovation activities can generate lead dust by sanding lead-based paint or scraping or heating lead-based paint. Eating paint chips is one of the ways young children are exposed to lead. This is not the most common way that consumers, in general, are exposed to lead. Ingesting and inhaling lead dust that is created as lead-based paint “chalks, chips, or chips from deteriorated surfaces can expose consumers to lead.” Walking on small paint chips on the floor or opening and closing a painted frame window can also create lead dust. Other sources of lead include deposits that can be present in homes after years of using leaded gasoline and from industrial sources such as foundry. Lead dust can settle on floors, walls, and furniture. Under these conditions, children can ingest lead dust from hand-to-mouth contact or food. Deposited lead dust can re-enter the air through cleaning, such as sweeping or vacuuming, or by the movement of people in the home.
How much lead does it take to get lead poisoning?
Only about 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood. What does that mean?
One deciliter is about 1/2 cup.
-A packet of sweetener is equivalent to approximately one gram.
-There are a million micrograms in a gram.
-So, divide the things from a package into a million piles. (Pretend!)
-Now, discard 999,990 of those “piles”.
-Take the remaining 10 stacks and mix them in half a cup of liquid.
Now … that’s not much! Microscopic levels of metallic lead can affect the health of a human being, especially a developing child.
Q. So … how do you test for lead-based paint and lead dust?
A. EPA’s Lead Abatement Certification program suggests three lead hazard assessment methods available to homeowners:
Lead-based paint inspection, hazard assessment, and a lead hazard screen. EPA strongly recommends that testing be performed by an EPA RRP Certified Professional. Certified inspectors can conduct lead-based paint inspections, and certified risk assessors can conduct both lead risk assessments and lead hazard assessments.
Lead-Based Paint Inspection: Generally recommended before beginning a renovation on a home built before 1978. During the inspection, all painted surfaces in the home, including varnishes and stains, would be inventoried and inspected for presence of lead-based paint. Furniture, dust, and dirt are rarely tested during an inspection. When the report is complete, you should have an inventory of all surfaces tested and whether the surfaces contain lead.
Hazard Assessment – Lead Hazard Assessment is the most rigorous testing method. This method is highly recommended for those who suspect or have confirmed lead poisoning in family members. Not only are all deteriorated paint surfaces covered in the Inspection checked, but dust in children’s rooms, hallways, and play areas is analyzed, as well as dirt from children’s play areas. In the event that furniture, window sills, or trim show bite marks, these surfaces can also be tested.
Lead Hazard Screening – Recommended for homes and facilities with low potential for contamination. The lead hazard screening test is a reduced version of the risk assessment. Typically, deteriorated paint surfaces are tested, two dust samples (windows and floors) are collected, and the floor will not be tested unless there is evidence of paint chips on the floor. A report showing substantial risks may require follow-up with a full Risk Assessment.
Q. How are surfaces tested?
A. EPA recognizes two test methods for lead-based paint:
Portable X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers and paint chip sampling that is analyzed by a laboratory recognized by the EPA’s National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program.
Portable X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers A portable XRF measures lead in paint,
generally without damaging the paint. In some cases, material under paint or the bends of paint chips on deteriorated surfaces can affect lead level readings. In these cases, the paint must be removed and the underlying surface tested to create a baseline for the painted surface being tested. This is the fastest method of obtaining results, although in cases where testing is inconclusive, paint chip samples will need to be sent to a laboratory for further testing.
Paint Chip Sampling and Lab Analysis – Using a chisel or scraper, one to four square inches of all paint layers are removed. Generally, a small layer of the underlying surface (wood, plaster or concrete) is removed with the sample. After removing the test material, the surface is repainted to prevent contamination of lead-exposed surfaces. The samples are then sent to an EPA NLLAP laboratory for analysis. This is the most conclusive method for testing lead-based paint.
Keep in mind that if your home was built before 1978 and you plan to rent or sell it, the EPA requires that you provide the test results to your buyers or renters.
For more information on testing procedures, visit EPA’s Lead Paint Safety site and read EPA’s brochure on Lead Paint Testing available at http://www.epa.gov