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Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention
- Overview of the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule
- What is Lead? Why is it a Serious Problem?
- How Do Children Get Exposed to Lead?
- What Can I Do to Prevent Lead Paint Poisoning?
- What about Lead in Soil?
- What is the Massachusetts Lead Law?
- The Massachusetts Lead Paint Housing Registry
- Lead Contaminated Toy Recalls
- On Line Resources
- For More Information
Information
- Contractors/Renovators
- Homeowners
- Landlords
- Lead and Children
- Real Estate Agents
- Renters
Overview of the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new lead paint regulation that takes effect April 22, 2010. This regulation is called the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule. The rule applies to contractors, property owners and others who disturb or repair paint in pre-1978 housing, child care facilities, and even schools.
While the RRP Rule requires most of the same “lead safe work practices” already required by the Massachusetts Lead Law, the RRP rule has a few important differences. It requires completion of an 8-hour training course, pre- and post-work notices to owners and residents, and a cleaning verification procedure. More information is available at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.
Contractors and painters who work on housing built before 1978 are required to take this training.
Go
to a List of EPA-Accredited Renovation, Repair, and
Painting Program Training Providers.
What is Lead? Why is it a Serious Problem?
Lead is a toxic metal that historically was used in paint, gasoline, and plumbing. It is very dangerous for children under the age of six because lead is absorbed more readily into their blood and stored more easily in their bones and internal organs. It can damage the brain and other developing organs. Lead poisoned children can suffer from permanent learning disabilities, behavioral problems, hearing problems, developmental delays and other serious health conditions.
How Do Children Get Exposed to Lead?
The most common source of childhood lead poisoning is ingestion through normal hand-to-mouth behavior of the fine dust created by deteriorating lead paint. Lead paint is common in homes built before it was banned for residential use in 1978. It becomes dangerous when it begins to chip and peel with age, or with wear and tear on lead painted friction surfaces. For example, children are often exposed by touching and ingesting fine lead dust produced from opening and closing lead painted windows and doors. Children certainly can become poisoned by eating paint chips or chewing directly on surfaces covered with lead-based paint, but this is not the most common source of exposure. Children can also be exposed to lead by playing in the soil around their homes. Lead is also released into the water from lead pipes or solder.
If you have additional questions about childhood lead poisoning please contact the Cambridge Public Health Department at 617/665-3831.
What Can I Do to Prevent Lead Poisoning?
If you have children under age six living in your home, the first step is to have the home inspected by a certified lead risk assessor. The best way to prevent lead paint poisoning is to ensure that lead paint is properly removed from your house or apartment by a certified lead paint abatement contractor. Removal of lead paint by an untrained person could result in toxic levels of lead dust in your home, which is extremely dangerous for children, pets, and adults. Here are a few simple things you can do for now:
- Wash children's hands frequently, especially after playing outside and before eating.
- Keep children's finger nails clean and short.
- Make sure your child is tested for lead every year at least until age 4.
- Wash toys, stuffed animals and security blankets.
- Wash window sills, troughs and floors once a week - Do not vacuum window areas.
- Open windows from the top if possible, or cover trough with vinyl flashing or apply a thick coat of latex paint.
- Don't scrape!
- Provide healthy foods rich in iron and calcium (Helps reduce absorption of lead).
- Consider having your soil and water tested for lead. Cambridge residents can have tap water tested by the Cambridge Water Department.
- Wipe feet or take off shoes at the door.
- Run your water on cold for a couple of minutes before using for drinking or cooking.
What about Lead in Soil?
Lead in the soil comes from several sources. In urban areas, it can be traced to an industrial past, older homes with chipping and peeling paint, and lead in gasoline. Although lead was removed from paint and gasoline many years ago, it does not break down or wash away and can pose a serious health risk, especially to young children. Creating a lead-safe home should include some thought about the outside of the home, as well as the inside. A simple and inexpensive soil test is available from the University of Massachusetts Extension Soil Testing Program, and gardeners, in particular, should consider having their soil tested.
Go
to More Information about Lead in Soil.
What is the Massachusetts Lead Law?
In accordance with Massachusetts law, any apartment unit or single family home with an occupant who is less than six years old must be deleaded. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) defines deleading as the "removal or covering of lead violations." Not all lead paint must be removed or covered. After deleading is completed, homes are "lead-safe", not "lead-free."
See
the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning
Prevention Program (CLPPP) web site for more specific information on the Lead Law.
The Massachusetts Lead Paint Housing Registry
The Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program maintains a registry of deleaded apartments and homes in Massachusetts. The purpose of the registry is to assist people in determining whether their home or prospective home has been deleaded. To use the registry, select your city of choice from the drop down menu. Enter the street number and name to find a particular location.
Go
to the Massachusetts Registry of Lead
Safe Homes
Lead Contaminated Toy Recalls
See these important notices the about the recall of toys contaminated with lead:
On Line Resources
The City of Cambridge maintains a list of on-line resources that provide information about lead programs in Massachusetts, federal resources, local resources and lead contamination in the garden.
Go
to On-Line Lead Related Resources.
For More Information
For more information about Lead Paint and Lead Paint Removal please contact the Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. You can reach the agency by phone at 800/532-9571 or 617//624-5757.
If you have additional questions about Childhood Lead Poisoning or other health questions related to lead exposure please contact the Cambridge Public Health Department at 617/665-3831.
If you have questions about your home renovation project please contact the Inspectional Services Department.
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