width=100% bgcolor=ccccff> « back to results for ""
Below is a cache of http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/eohp/lead/documents/LeadinHome.pdf. It's a snapshot of the page taken as our search engine crawled the Web.
The web site itself may have changed. You can check the current page or check for previous versions at the Internet Archive. Yahoo! is not affiliated with the authors of this page or responsible for its content.
Lead In Your Home: A Parent’s Reference Guide United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Prevention, Pesticides,
and Toxic Substances
(7404)
Lead In Your Home:
A Parent’s Reference Guide
EPA 747-B-98-002
June 1998 Contents
Foreword ..............................................................iii
1. Lead in Your Home: A Parent’s Guide............. 1
How Lead Has Commonly Been Used ........................................... 1
Finding Lead Hazards in Your Home .............................................. 2
Other Sources of Lead Hazards...................................................... 3
Health Effects of Lead..................................................................... 4
Lead Poisoning Prevention............................................................. 6
2. Reducing the Risk of Lead in Your Home ........ 7
Testing for Lead ............................................................................. 7
How to Reduce Your Family’s Risk of Leading Poisoning.............. 10
Routine Cleaning and Maintenance ............................................. 11
New Rules for Sellers and Landlords............................................. 14
3. Protecting Your Children From
Lead Poisoning ................................................17
Building Good Habits and Safe Surroundings ............................... 17
Testing You and Your Family for Lead Poisoning .......................... 18
Choosing a Child-Care Provider................................................... 19
What Your Children Need to Know ............................................. 20
4. What You Need to Know Before Working
on Your Home .................................................23
Equipment ................................................................................... 23
How to Work Safely ..................................................................... 25
5. Remodeling and Renovation ........................... 27
Replacing or Working on Windows ............................................. 28
Preparing Surfaces for New Paint or Wallpaper............................ 28
Removing or Replacing Carpeting................................................ 29
Performing Duct and Plumbing Work .......................................... 29
Performing Minor Repairs............................................................ 30
Working on the Exterior of Your Home ........................................ 31 6. Interim Controls .............................................33
Safe Management of Lead-Based Paint in Your Home ................. 33
Removing Dust ............................................................................ 34
Repainting Lead-Painted Surfaces ................................................ 37
Repairing Friction and Impact Surfaces ........................................ 37
Preventing Access to Soil Hazards ................................................ 38
7. Abatement .......................................................41
Lead Abatement: What It Is, Who Should Do It........................... 41
Replacement................................................................................ 42
Enclosure ..................................................................................... 43
Encapsulation ............................................................................... 43
Paint Removal .............................................................................. 44
Soil Abatement............................................................................. 45
Help From a Risk Assessor or a Contractor.................................... 45
8. Cleaning Up Lead Waste ................................. 47
Daily Cleanup .............................................................................. 47
Personal Cleanup ......................................................................... 48
Final Cleanup ............................................................................... 48
Appendixes ..........................................................51
A. For More Information ............................................................. 51
B. State Lead Program Contacts................................................... 53
C. EPA Regional Lead Contacts ................................................... 57
D. Abatement Guidelines for Your Contractor............................. 59
Glossary .............................................................. 65 Foreword
To heighten awareness about lead poisoning prevention, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed Lead in Your
Home: A Parent’s Reference Guide. The Agency believes this is an
essential resource for anyone—from owners to tenants—concerned
about the dangers of lead in their home and environment. This
Guidebook provides Agency recommendations on how you can reduce
your family’s risk of lead exposure and prevent lead poisoning, ranging
from simple steps you can do now to more rigorous procedures that will
permanently get rid of lead hazards in your home.
Throughout the Guidebook, the term “home” is used to refer to your
home—whether you own or rent a house, apartment, or other type of
dwelling. In addition, the Guidebook has been designed so you do not
need to read every chapter. Read the Quick Tips listed at the beginning
of each chapter. They highlight important information provided in
that chapter. Turn to the appendix for a list of hotlines,
organizations, and people with further information on lead-related
issues. By being aware of the danger lead can pose to you
and your family, you are taking the first step in keeping them
safe from its hazards. 1
LEAD IN YOUR HOME: A PARENT’S GUIDE
1
þ
3
þ
2
þ
1
1
Lead in Your Home:
A Parent’s Guide
Lead exposure can be dangerous, especially to children ages 6
and younger.
Exposure to lead-contaminated dust, not lead-based paint, is the
most common way to get lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning can be prevented.
Lead is highly toxic. Exposure to it can be dangerous, especially for
children who are 6 or younger. But lead is also stable and easy to work
with, so it has been used for many purposes—even in our homes. It is
important that every parent know where lead can be found, and how to
control it. It is also important to know what to do if you or a member of
your family is exposed to lead.
How Lead Has Commonly Been Used
Lead is a metal that has been mined for thousands of years. In the past,
it was used to make common items found in or near homes. These
items include paint, gasoline, water pipes, and food cans.
> Lead in paint.
Manufacturers used to put lead
pigments in paint because the pigments make the
paint last longer and cling to surfaces better. But
problems can occur later. Paint that is disturbed or
that is breaking down with age can contaminate
dust. Lead-based paint is no longer used in
homes, on children’s toys, or on household
furniture. In 1978, the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) banned its sale for use in residences. That
same year the CPSC also made it illegal to paint children’s toys and
household furniture with lead-based paint.
> Lead in gasoline.
Oil companies used to add lead to gasoline to
stop engine knocking in automobiles, but dangerous lead particles
escaped into the air through auto exhaust systems. In 1978, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduced the amount of lead
allowed in gasoline.
QUI
C
K
TIPS 2
LEAD IN YOUR HOME: A PARENT’S GUIDE
1
> Lead in household pipes.
Lead used in fixtures, pipes, or pipe
soldering can leach into water that flows through the pipes. In 1986,
and again in 1988, Congress changed the Safe Drinking Water Act
to restrict the use of lead in pipes, solder, and other components
used in public water systems and residential and nonresidential
plumbing. Unfortunately, lead may still be found in pipes today.
> Lead in food cans.
The lead solder used to seal food cans can
mix with the food in the can. The United States banned the use of
lead solder in cans in 1995, but it is still used in many other
countries. Lead solder may be found in cans imported to the
United States.
Finding Lead Hazards in Your Home
Changes in the law have greatly reduced the amount of lead in our
homes and in the air today. But it is important to remember that lead
does not break down over time. Therefore, you should know how to
identify sources of lead in your home and how to keep your family safe.
Common Lead Hazards
The most common household lead hazards are lead-based paint, lead
dust, and contaminated soil:
> Lead-based paint
is a hazard if it is peeling, chipping, chalking, or
cracking. Even lead-based pa