If my house may contain lead paint, how do I test for it?
EPA RRP Lead-Based Paint Certification and Safety Laws
As with any new program, most people, homeowners and contractors alike, when first hearing about the EPA lead paint certification program are very skeptical. However, we found that when they REALLY investigate the issue, they realize the program is necessary to educate those who may inadvertently cause exposure to lead poisoning. Today, many people, including contractors, are initially surprised and unaware of the real health hazards associated with lead-containing paint when disturbed. The bottom line is that lead-based paint is dangerous to your health.
LEAD PAINT IS LIKE A CROCODILE!
How many people would jump into a neighborhood pond if they knew there was an alligator living in it? However, many people have jumped into such a pond or had their dogs drink water from such a pond, only to discover, after it is too late, that an alligator lived in it. In the world of lead paint…the alligator is lead-containing paint and the pond is a house built before 1978. Today, lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children. children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and affect mental function. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span. It can also retard fetal development, even at extremely low lead levels. In adults, it can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves that control the body. Lead poisoning can also cause problems with reproduction (such as a drop in sperm count). It can also increase blood pressure. Therefore, young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are most vulnerable to the effects of lead.
Children should be tested for lead poisoning
In communities where homes 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 mistake for other illnesses, it’s hard to diagnose lead poisoning without medical tests. Early symptoms may include persistent tiredness, irritability, loss of appetite, upset stomach, reduced attention span, insomnia, and constipation. Not treating children in the early stages can cause long-term or permanent health damage.
How are people exposed to lead from paint?
Contractors and/or individuals involved in home renovation activities may generate lead dust by sanding lead-based paint or by scraping or heating lead-based paint. Eating paint chips is one way 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 peeling from deteriorated surfaces can expose consumers to lead. Walking on small paint chips on the floor, or opening and closing a window with a painted frame, can also generate lead dust. Other sources of lead include deposits that may be present in homes after years of using leaded gasoline and from industrial sources such as smelting. Lead dust can settle on floors, walls, and furniture. Under these conditions, children can ingest lead dust through hand-to-mouth contact or through food. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air through cleaning, such as sweeping or vacuuming, or through the movement of people throughout the home.
How much lead does it take to get lead poisoning?
Only about 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood. What does that mean?
A deciliter is about 1/2 of a cup.
-A packet of sweetener is approximately one gram.
-There are a million micrograms in a gram.
-Then, divide the things in a package into a million piles. (Pretend!)
-Now, discard 999,990 of those “stacks”.
-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 young developing child.
Q. So… how do you test for lead-based paint and lead dust?
A. The EPA Lead Reduction Certification program suggests three lead hazard assessment methods available to homeowners:
Lead-based paint inspection, risk assessment, and detection of lead hazards. The EPA strongly recommends that testing be performed by an EPA RRP Certified Professional. Certified inspectors can perform lead-based paint inspections, and certified risk assessors can perform both lead hazard assessments and lead hazard screens.
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, will be inventoried and inspected for lead-based paint. the presence of lead-based paint. Furniture, dust, and dirt are not normally tested during an inspection. When the report is complete, you should have an inventory of all surfaces tested and whether the surfaces contain lead.
Risk Assessment: Lead risk 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 children’s rooms, hallways, and play areas are also tested for dust, as well as soil 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 little chance of contamination. The Lead Hazard Assessment is a shortened version of the Hazard Assessment. Degraded paint surfaces are typically tested, two dust samples (windows and floors) are collected, and soil is not tested unless there is evidence of paint chips on the ground. A report showing substantial risks may require follow up with a full risk assessment.
Q. How are the surfaces tested?
A. EPA recognizes two methods of testing for lead-based paint:
Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers and paint chip sampling 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,
usually without damaging the paint. In some cases, material under the paint or curves in 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 delivering results, although in cases where tests are inconclusive, paint chip samples will need to be sent to a laboratory for further testing.
Paint Chip Sampling and Laboratory 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 the test material is removed, the surface is repainted to prevent contamination of exposed lead surfaces. The samples are then sent to an EPA NLLAP laboratory for analysis. This is the most conclusive method of testing for lead-based paint.
Please note 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-Based Paint Safety site and read EPA’s Lead Paint Testing brochure available at http://www.epa.gov