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Consumer Product Safety Commission
Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home
CPSC Document #426U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Washington, DC 20207
EPA747-K-94-001
May 1995
Simple Steps To Protect Your Family From Lead Hazards
If you think your home has high levels of lead:
- Get your young children tested for lead, even if they seem healthy.
- Wash children's hands, bottles, pacifiers, and toys often.
- Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods.
- Get your home checked for lead hazards.
- Regularly clean floors, window sills, and other surfaces.
- Wipe soil off shoes before entering house.
- Talk to your landlord about fixing surfaces with peeling or chipping
paint.
- Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust when remodeling or
renovating (call 1-800-424-LEAD for guidelines).
- Don't use a belt-sander, propane torch, dry scraper, or dry sandpaper on
painted surfaces that may contain lead.
- Don't try to remove lead-based paint yourself.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO BUY, RENT, OR RENOVATE A HOME BUILT BEFORE 1978?
Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly. By 1996, federal law will require that individuals receive certain information before renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing:
LANDLORDS will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases will include a federal form about lead-based paint.
SELLERS will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts will include a federal form about lead-based paint in the building. Buyers will have up to 10 days to check for lead hazards.
RENOVATORS will have to give you this pamphlet before starting work.
If you want more information on these requirements, call the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD.
IMPORTANT!
Lead From Paint, Dust, and Soil Can Be Dangerous If Not Managed Properly.
FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.
FACT: Even children that seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
FACT: People can get lead in their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips with lead in them.
FACT: People have many options for reducing lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard.
FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.
If you think your home might have lead hazards, read this pamphlet to learn some simple steps to protect your family.
LEAD GETS IN THE BODY IN MANY WAYS 1 out of every 11 children in the United States has dangerous levels of lead in the bloodstream.
Even children who appear healthy can have dangerous levels of lead.
People can get lead in their body if they:
- Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their
mouths.
- Eat paint chips or soil that contain lead.
- Breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb painted
surfaces).
- Babies and young children often put their hands and other objects in their
mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
- Children's growing bodies absorb more lead.
- Children's brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging
effects of lead.
Lead's Effects
If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity)
- Slowed growth
- Hearing problems
- Headaches
- Difficulties during pregnancy
- Other reproductive problems (in both men and women)
- High blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Nerve disorders
- Memory and concentration problems
- Muscle and joint pain
Lead affects the body in many ways.
H2HECKING YOUR FAMILY FOR LEAD Get your children tested if you think
your home has high levels of lead.
A simple blood test can detect high
levels of lead. Blood tests are important for:
- Children who are 6 months to 1 year old (6 months if you live in an older
home that might have lead in the paint).
- Family members that you think might have high levels of
lead.
If your child is older than 1 year, talk to your doctor
about whether your child needs testing.
Your doctor or health center can
do blood tests. They are inexpensive and sometimes free. Your doctor will
explain what the test results mean. Treatment can range from changes in your
diet to medication or a hospital stay.
WHERE LEAD-BASED PAINT IS FOUND
In general, the older your home,
the more likely it has lead-based paint.
Many homes built before 1978
have lead-based paint. In 1978, the federal government banned lead-based paint
from housing. Lead can be found:
- In homes in the city, country, or suburbs.
- In apartments, single-family homes, and both private and public
housing.
- Inside and outside of the house.
- In soil around a home. (Soil can pick up lead from exterior paint, or other
sources such as past use of leaded gas in cars.)
WHERE LEAD IS LIKELY TO BE A HAZARD
Lead from paint chips, which
you can see, and lead dust, which you can't always see, can both be serious
hazards.
Lead-based paint that is in good condition is usually not a
hazard.
Peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking lead-based paint is a
hazard and needs immediate attention.
Lead-based paint may also be a
hazard when found on surfaces that children can chew or that get a lot of
wear-and-tear. These areas include:
- Windows and window sills.
- Doors and door frames.
- Stairs, railings, and banisters.
- Porches and fences.
Lead dust can form when lead-based
paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted
surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and
objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can reenter the air when people
vacuum, sweep, or walk through it.
Lead in soil can be a hazard when
children play in bare soil or when people bring soil into the house on their
shoes. Call your state agency (see below) to find out about soil testing for
lead.
CHECKING YOUR HOME FOR LEAD HAZARDS
Just knowing that a home has
lead-based paint may not tell you if there is a hazard.
You can get your
home checked for lead hazards in one of two ways, or both:
- A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every painted surface in
your home. It won't tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should
deal with it.
- A risk assessment tells you if there are any sources of serious lead
exposure (such as peeling paint and lead dust). It also tells you what actions
to take to address these hazards.
Have qualified professionals
do the work. The federal government is writing standards for inspectors and risk
assessors. Some states might already have standards in place. Call your state
agency for help with locating qualified professionals in your area (see below).
Trained professionals use a range of methods when checking your home,
including:
- Visual inspection of paint condition and location.
- Lab tests of paint samples.
- Surface dust tests.
- A portable x-ray fluorescence machine.
Home test kits for
lead are available, but the federal government is still testing their
reliability. These tests should not be the only method used before doing
renovations or to assure safety.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY
If you suspect that
your house has lead hazards, you can take some immediate steps to reduce your
family's risk:
- If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint.
- Clean up paint chips immediately.
- Clean floors, window frames, window sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a
mop or sponge with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner
made specifically for lead.
REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEY CAN FORM
A DANGEROUS GAS.
- Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty
areas.
- Wash children's hands often, especially before they eat and before nap time
and bed time.
- Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals
regularly.
- Keep children from chewing window sills or other painted surfaces.
- Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead
from soil.
- Make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat meals high in iron and calcium,
such as spinach and low-fat dairy products. Children with good diets absorb less
lead.
HOW TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE LEAD HAZARDS
Removing lead
improperly can increase the hazard to your family by spreading even more lead
dust around the house.
Always use a professional who is trained to remove
lead hazards safely.
In addition to day-to-day cleaning and good
nutrition:
- You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by taking actions like repairing
damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels.
These actions (called "interim controls") are not permanent solutions and will
not eliminate all risks of exposure.
- To permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a lead "abatement"
contractor. Abatement (or permanent hazard elimination) methods include
removing, sealing, or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials. Just
painting over the hazard with regular paint is not
enough.
Always hire a person with special training for
correcting lead problems--someone who knows how to do this work safely and has
the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. If possible, hire a certified lead
abatement contractor. Certified contractors will employ qualified workers and
follow strict safety rules as set by their state or by the federal
government.
Call your state agency (see below) for help with locating
qualified contractors in your area and to see if financial assistance is
available.
REMODELING OR RENOVATING A HOME WITH LEAD-BASED PAINT
If not
conducted properly, certain types of renovations can release lead from paint and
dust into the air.
Take precautions before you begin remodeling or
renovations that disturb painted surfaces (such as scraping off paint or tearing
out walls):
- Have the area tested for lead-based paint.
- Do not use a dry scraper, belt-sander, propane torch, or heat gun to remove
lead-based paint. These actions create large amounts of lead dust and fumes.
Lead dust can remain in your home long after the work is done.
- Temporarily move your family (especially children and pregnant women) out of
the apartment or house until the work is done and the area is properly cleaned.
If you can't move your family, at least completely seal off the work
area.
- Follow other safety measures to reduce lead hazards. You can find out about
other safety measures by calling 1-800-424-LEAD. Ask for the brochure "Reducing
Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home." This brochure explains what to do
before, during, and after renovations.
If you have already
completed renovations or remodeling that could have released lead-based paint or
dust, get your young children tested and follow the steps outlined
above.
OTHER SOURCES OF LEAD
While paint, dust, and soil are the most
common lead hazards, other lead sources also exist.
- Drinking water -- Your home might have plumbing with lead or lead solder.
Call your local health department or water supplier to find out about testing
your water. You cannot see, smell, or taste lead, and boiling your water will
not get rid of lead. If you think your plumbing might have lead in it:
Use only cold water for drinking and cooking.
Run water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking it, especially if you
have not used your water for a few hours.
- The job -- If you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or
clothes. Shower and change clothes before coming home. Launder your clothes
separately from the rest of your family's.
- Old painted toys and furniture.
- Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or
porcelain.
- Lead smelters or other industries that release lead into the air.
- Hobbies that use lead, such as making pottery or stained glass, or
refinishing furniture.
- Folk remedies that contain lead, such as "greta" and "azarcon" used to treat
an upset stomach.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The National Lead Information
Center
Call 1-800-LEAD-FYI to learn how to protect children from lead
poisoning.
For other information on lead hazards, call the center's
clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD. For the hearing impaired, call, TDD
1-800-526-5456 (FAX: 202-659-1192, Internet: EHC@CAIS.COM).
EPA's Safe
Drinking Water Hotline
Call 1-800-426-4791 for information about lead in
drinking water.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Hotline
To
request information on lead in consumer products, or to report an unsafe
consumer product or a product-related injury call 1-800-638-2772. (Internet:
info@cpsc.gov). For the hearing impaired, call TDD 1-800-638-8270.
STATE
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES
Some cities and states have their own
rules for lead-based paint activities. Check with your state agency (listed
below) to see if state or local laws apply to you. Most state agencies can also
provide information on finding a lead abatement firm in your area, and on
possible sources of financial aid for reducing lead hazards.
(307) 777-7391
EPA REGIONAL OFFICES
Your Regional EPA Office can provide
further information regarding regulations and lead protection programs.
EPA Regional Offices
Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
John F. Kennedy Federal
Building
One Congress Street
Boston, MA 02203
(617)
565-3420
Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands)
Building 5
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ
08837-3679
(908) 321-6671
Region 3 (Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia)
841 Chestnut Building
Philadelphia,
PA 19107
(215) 597-9800
Region 4 (Alabama..., Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
345 Courtland Street,
NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
(404) 347-4727
Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago,
IL 60604-3590
(312) 886-6003
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)
First Interstate Bank Tower
1445 Ross Avenue,
12th Floor, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214) 665-7244
Region
7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS
66101
(913) 551-7020
Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO
80202-2405
(303) 293-1603
Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii,
Nevada)
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)
744-1124
Region 10 (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska)
1200 Sixth
Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1200
H2PSC REGIONAL OFFICES
U.S. CPSC Eastern Regional Center
201
Varick Street, Room 903
New York, NY 10014-4811
Tele. (212) 620-4120
Fax: (212) 620-5388
U.S. CPSC Central Regional Center
230 South
Dearborn Street, Room 2944
Chicago, IL 60604-1601
(312)
353-8260
U.S. CPSC Western Regional Center
1301 Clay Street, Suite 610
N
Oakland, CA 94612
Tele. (510) 637-4050
Fax: (510) 637-4060
REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEY CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
Use only cold water for drinking and cooking.
Run water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours.
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