ProtectYourFamilyFromLead InYourHome

United States EnvironmentalProtection Agency

United StatesConsumer ProductSafety Commission

U.S. EPA Washington DC 20460 EPA747-K-99-001U.S. CPSC Washington DC 20207 April 1999U.S. HUD Washington DC 20410

United StatesDepartment of Housingand Urban Development

Many houses and apartments built before 1978 havepaint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Leadfrom paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health

hazards if not taken care of properly.

Federal law requires that individuals receive certain informationbefore renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing:

LANDLORDS have to disclose known infor-mation on lead-based paint and lead-basedpaint hazards before leases take effect.Leases must include a disclosure formabout lead-based paint.

SELLERS have to disclose known informa-tion on lead-based paint and lead-basedpaint hazards before selling a house. Salescontracts must include a disclosure formabout lead-based paint. Buyers have up to10 days to check for lead hazards.

RENOVATORS have to give you this pamphlet before starting work. (After June 1, 1999.)

IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATIONon these requirements, call the National Lead Information Clearinghouseat 1-800-424-LEAD.

Are You Planning To Buy, Rent, or Renovatea Home Built Before 1978?

This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced by an individual ororganization without permission. Information provided in this booklet is basedupon current scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented andis reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governingthe co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily pro-vide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that canbe caused by lead exposure.

IMPORTANT!

Lead From Paint, Dust, andSoil Can Be Dangerous If Not

Managed Properly

FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before theyare born.

FACT: Even children who seem healthy canhave high levels of lead in their bodies.

FACT: People can get lead in their bodies bybreathing or swallowing lead dust, or byeating soil or paint chips containinglead.

FACT: People have many options for reducinglead hazards. In most cases, lead-basedpaint that is in good condition is not ahazard.

FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperlycan 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.

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People can get lead in their body if they:

u Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths.

u Eat paint chips or soil that containslead.

u Breathe in lead dust (especially duringrenovations that disturb painted surfaces).

Lead is even more dangerous to childrenthan adults because:

u Babies and young children often puttheir hands and other objects in theirmouths. These objects can have leaddust on them.

u Children’s growing bodies absorb morelead.

u Children’s brains and nervous systemsare more sensitive to the damagingeffects of lead.

Lead Gets in the Body in Many Ways

In theUnitedStates,about900,000children ages1 to 5 have ablood-leadlevel abovethe level ofconcern.

Even childrenwho appearhealthy canhave danger-ous levels oflead in theirbodies.

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Lead’s Effects

If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can sufferfrom:

u Damage to the brain and nervous system

u Behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity)

u Slowed growth

u Hearing problems

u Headaches

Lead is also harmful to adults. Adultscan suffer from:

u Difficulties during pregnancy

u Other reproductive problems (in bothmen and women)

u High blood pressure

u Digestive problems

u Nerve disorders

u Memory and concentration problems

u Muscle and joint pain

Lead affectsthe body inmany ways.

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Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The federal governmentbanned lead-based paint from housing in1978. Some states stopped its use evenearlier. Lead can be found:

u In homes in the city, country, or suburbs.

u In apartments, single-family homes, andboth private and public housing.

u Inside and outside of the house.

u In soil around a home. (Soil can pick uplead from exterior paint or other sourcessuch as past use of leaded gas in cars.)

To reduce your child's exposure to lead,get your child checked, have your hometested (especially if your home has paintin poor condition and was built before1978), and fix any hazards you may have.Children's blood lead levels tend to increaserapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, andtend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.

Consult your doctor for advice on testingyour children. A simple blood test candetect high levels of lead. Blood tests areusually recommended for:

u Children at ages 1 and 2.

u Children or other family members whohave been exposed to high levels of lead.

u Children who should be tested underyour state or local health screening plan.

Your doctor can explain what the test resultsmean and if more testing will be needed.

Get yourchildren andhome testedif you thinkyour homehas high lev-els of lead.

Checking Your Family for Lead

Where Lead-Based Paint Is Found

In general,the older yourhome, themore likely ithas lead-based paint.

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Lead-based paint that is in good conditionis usually not a hazard.

Peeling, chipping, chalking, or crackinglead-based paint is a hazard and needsimmediate attention.

Lead-based paint may also be a hazardwhen found on surfaces that children canchew or that get a lot of wear-and-tear.These areas include:

u Windows and window sills.

u Doors and door frames.

u Stairs, railings, and banisters.

u Porches and fences.

Lead dust can form when lead-based paintis dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dustalso forms when painted surfacesbump or rub together. Lead chips anddust can get on surfaces and objectsthat people touch. Settled lead dustcan re-enter the air when people vac-uum, sweep, or walk through it.

Lead in soil can be a hazard whenchildren play in bare soil or whenpeople bring soil into the house ontheir shoes. Call your state agency(see page 11) to find out about test-ing soil for lead.

Where Lead Is Likely To Be a Hazard

Lead frompaint chips,which youcan see, andlead dust,which youcan’t alwayssee, can bothbe serious hazards.

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You can get your home checked for lead haz-ards in one of two ways, or both:

u A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every different type of paintedsurface in your home. It won’t tell youwhether the paint is a hazard or how youshould deal with it.

u A risk assessment tells you if there areany sources of serious lead exposure(such as peeling paint and lead dust). Italso tells you what actions to take toaddress these hazards.

Have qualified professionals do the work.There are standards in place for certifyinglead-based paint professionals to ensure thework is done safely, reliably, and effectively.Contact your state lead poisoning preventionprogram for more information. Call 1-800-424-LEAD for a list of contacts in your area.

Trained professionals use a range of methodswhen checking your home, including:

u Visual inspection of paint condition andlocation.

u A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF)machine.

u Lab tests of paint samples.

u Surface dust tests.

Home test kits for lead are available, butstudies suggest that they are not alwaysaccurate. Consumers should not rely onthese tests before doing renovations or toassure safety.

Checking Your Home for Lead Hazards

Just knowingthat a homehas lead-based paintmay not tellyou if there is a hazard.

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If you suspect that your house has leadhazards, you can take some immediatesteps to reduce your family’s risk:

u If you rent, notify your landlord ofpeeling or chipping paint.

u Clean up paint chips immediately.

u Clean floors, window frames, windowsills, and other surfaces weekly. Use amop or sponge with warm water and ageneral all-purpose cleaner or a cleanermade specifically for lead. REMEMBER:NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACHPRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEYCAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.

u Thoroughly rinse sponges and mopheads after cleaning dirty or dustyareas.

u Wash children’s hands often, especial-ly before they eat and before nap timeand bed time.

u Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles,pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals regularly.

u Keep children from chewing windowsills or other painted surfaces.

u Clean or remove shoes beforeentering your home to avoidtracking in lead from soil.

u Make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat meals high in iron and calcium, such asspinach and dairy products.Children with good diets absorbless lead.

What You Can Do Now To Protect Your Family

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In addition to day-to-day cleaning and goodnutrition:

u You can temporarily reduce lead hazardsby taking actions such as repairing dam-aged painted surfaces and planting grassto cover soil with high lead levels. Theseactions (called “interim controls”) are notpermanent solutions and will need ongo-ing attention.

u To permanently remove lead hazards,you must hire a certified lead “abate-ment” contractor. Abatement (or perma-nent hazard elimination) methodsinclude removing, sealing, or enclosinglead-based paint with special materials.Just painting over the hazard with regularpaint is not enough.

Always hire a person with special trainingfor correcting lead problems—someonewho knows how to do this work safely andhas the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. Certified contractors will employqualified workers and follow strict safetyrules as set by their state or by the federalgovernment.

Call your state agency (see page 11) forhelp with locating certified contractors inyour area and to see if financial assistanceis available.

How To Significantly Reduce Lead Hazards

Removinglead improperlycan increasethe hazard toyour familyby spreadingeven morelead dustaround thehouse.

Always use a professional whois trained toremove lead hazards safely.

Take precautions before your contractor oryou begin remodeling or renovations thatdisturb painted surfaces (such as scrapingoff paint or tearing out walls):

u Have the area tested for lead-basedpaint.

u Do not use a belt-sander, propanetorch, heat gun, dry scraper, or drysandpaper to remove lead-basedpaint. These actions create largeamounts of lead dust and fumes. Leaddust can remain in your home longafter the work is done.

u Temporarily move your family (espe-cially children and pregnant women)out of the apartment or house until the work is done and the area is prop-erly cleaned. If you can’t move yourfamily, at least completely seal off thework area.

u Follow other safety measures toreduce lead hazards. You can find outabout other safety measures by calling 1-800-424-LEAD. Ask for the brochure“Reducing Lead Hazards WhenRemodeling Your Home.” This brochureexplains what to do before, during, and after renovations.

If you have already completed renova-tions or remodeling that could havereleased lead-based paint or dust, getyour young children tested and followthe steps outlined on page 7 of thisbrochure.

Remodeling or Renovating a Home WithLead-Based Paint

If not conductedproperly, certain typesof renova-tions canrelease leadfrom paintand dust intothe air.

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u Drinking water. Your home might haveplumbing with lead or lead solder. Callyour local health department or watersupplier to find out about testing yourwater. You cannot see, smell, or tastelead, and boiling your water will not getrid of lead. If you think your plumbingmight have lead in it:

• Use only cold water for drinking andcooking.

• Run water for 15 to 30 secondsbefore drinking it, especially if youhave not used your water for a fewhours.

u The job. If you work with lead, youcould bring it home on your hands orclothes. Shower and change clothesbefore coming home. Launder your workclothes separately from the rest of your family’s clothes.

u Old painted toys and furniture.

u Food and liquids stored in lead crystalor lead-glazed pottery or porcelain.

u Lead smelters or other industries thatrelease lead into the air.

u Hobbies that use lead, such as makingpottery or stained glass, or refinishingfurniture.

u Folk remedies that contain lead, such as“greta” and “azarcon” used to treat anupset stomach.

Other Sources of Lead

While paint, dust,and soil are themost commonlead hazards,other lead sources also exist.

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The National Lead Information Center

Call 1-800-424-LEAD to learn how to protectchildren from lead poisoning and for otherinformation on lead hazards. (Internet:www.epa.gov/lead and www.hud.gov/lea).

For the hearing impaired, call the FederalInformation Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 and ask for the National LeadInformation Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.

EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline

Call 1-800-426-4791 for information aboutlead in drinking water.

Consumer Product Safety Commission Hotline

To request information on lead inconsumer products, or to report anunsafe consumer product or a prod-uct-related injury call 1-800-638-2772. (Internet: www@cpsc.gov).For the hearing impaired, call TDD 1-800-638-8270.

For More Information

State Health and Environmental AgenciesSome cities and states have their own rules for lead-basedpaint activities. Check with your state agency to see if stateor local laws apply to you. Most state agencies can also pro-vide information on finding a lead abatement firm in yourarea, and on possible sources of financial aid for reducinglead hazards. Receive up-to-date address and phone infor-mation for state and local contacts on the Internet atwww.epa.gov/lead or contact the National Lead InformationCenter at 1-800-424-LEAD.

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EPA Regional Offices

Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts,Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,Vermont)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 1Suite 1100 (CPT)One Congress StreetBoston, MA 02114-2023 1 (888) 372-7341

Region 2 (New Jersey, New York,Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 22890 Woodbridge AvenueBuilding 209, Mail Stop 225Edison, NJ 08837-3679(732) 321-6671

Region 3 (Delaware, Washington DC,Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, WestVirginia)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 3 (3WC33)1650 Arch StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103(215) 814-5000

Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia,Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,South Carolina, Tennessee)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 461 Forsyth Street, SWAtlanta, GA 30303(404) 562-8998

Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 5 (DT-8J)77 West Jackson BoulevardChicago, IL 60604-3666(312) 886-6003

EPA Regional Offices

Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, NewMexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 61445 Ross Avenue, 12th FloorDallas, TX 75202-2733(214) 665-7577

Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,Nebraska)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 7(ARTD-RALI)901 N. 5th StreetKansas City, KS 66101(913) 551-7020

Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, NorthDakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 8999 18th Street, Suite 500Denver, CO 80202-2466(303) 312-6021

Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii,Nevada)

Regional Lead Contact U.S. Region 975 Hawthorne StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105(415) 744-1124

Region 10 (Idaho, Oregon, Washington,Alaska)

Regional Lead ContactU.S. EPA Region 10Toxics Section WCM-1281200 Sixth AvenueSeattle, WA 98101-1128(206) 553-1985

Your Regional EPA Office can provide further information regard-ing regulations and lead protection programs.

CPSC Regional Offices

Eastern Regional Center6 World Trade CenterVesey Street, Room 350New York, NY 10048(212) 466-1612

Central Regional Center230 South Dearborn StreetRoom 2944Chicago, IL 60604-1601(312) 353-8260

Western Regional Center600 Harrison Street, Room 245San Francisco, CA 94107(415) 744-2966

HUD Lead Office

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Please contact HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control for informa-tion on lead regulations, outreach efforts, and lead hazard controland research grant programs.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentOffice of Lead Hazard Control451 Seventh Street, SW, P-3206Washington, DC 20410(202) 755-1785

Your Regional CPSC Office can provide further information regard-ing regulations and consumer product safety.

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Recycled/RecyclablePrinted on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber.

If you think your home has high levels of lead:

u Get your young children tested for lead, even ifthey seem healthy.

u Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers, and toysoften.

u Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods.

u Get your home checked for lead hazards.

u Regularly clean floors, window sills, and other surfaces.

u Wipe soil off shoes before entering house.

u Talk to your landlord about fixing surfaces withpeeling or chipping paint.

u Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dustwhen remodeling or renovating (call 1-800-424-LEAD for guidelines).

u Don’t use a belt-sander, propane torch, heat gun,dry scraper, or dry sandpaper on painted surfacesthat may contain lead.

u Don’t try to remove lead-based paint yourself.

Simple Steps To Protect Your Family From Lead Hazards

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