Housing...Inside and Out

July 15, 1997
Lead Base Paint Update

IS IT LEAD-BASED PAINT?

To be sure that you're not dealing with lead-based paint you must have the paint tested by a qualified professional. The use of a "do-it-yourself" testing kit is not recommended. A trained inspector will either test the surfaces with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine which measures the amount of lead in the paint or send paint samples to a lab for lead paint measurement. To find an inspector, contact the state lead program contact at (601) 960-7463.

LEAD-BASED PAINT IS POISONOUS

The dust and the chips from lead-based paint are dangerous when swallowed or inhaled. The smallest lead dust particles cannot be seen but they can enter the body. Lead is especially dangerous to small children and pregnant women. Lead can affect the developing nervous systems in young children, causing reduced IQ and learning disabilities.

High level of lead can also cause health problems in adults including high blood pressure, headaches, digestive problems, memory and concentration problems, kidney damage, mood changes, nerve disorders, sleep disorders, sleep disturbances, and muscle or joint pain. A single, very high exposure to lead can cause lead poisoning. Lead can also affect the ability of both women and men to have health children.

Any home built before 1978 is likely to have surfaces painted with lead-based paint. Working on these surfaces can expose you to lead. Dry-sanding lead-based paint can produce dust and chips. Scraping, brushing, or blasting lead-based paint can produce poisonous paint chips or dust. Burning lead-based paint with open flame torches to ma make it easier to strip is especially dangerous. The fumes from the hot paint contain lead and volatile chemicals that are poisonous when inhaled.

WHEN YOU ARE REMODELING

If you are removing paint, sanding, patching, scraping or tearing down walls, or other work such as removing or replacing windows, baseboards, doors, plumbing fixtures, heating and ventilation duct work, or electrical systems, you should be concerned about lead-based paint hazards.

You may find lead-based paint on any surface in your home including walls, interior trim, window sashes and frames, floors, radiators, doors, stairways, railings, porches, and exterior siding. Lead-based paint was frequently used in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms.

Take precautions before you begin remodeling or renovations that disturb painted surfaces.

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:

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 mops 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.

Other Sources of LEAD

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:

Contact The National Lead Information Center (http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/nlicdocs.htm)

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.

EPA and HUD Real Estate Notification and Disclosure Rule

The purpose of the rule is to protect the public from exposure to lead from paint, dust, and soil. Congress passed the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 also known as the Title X. Section 1018 that directed HUD and EPA to require disclosure of information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before 1978. The rule would ensure that purchasers and renters of housing built before 1978 receive the information necessary to protect themselves and their families from lead-based paint hazards.

SOURCES:

Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; May 1995.

EPA and HUD Real Estate Notification and Disclosure Rule, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; March 1996.

Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency; April 1994.


Written by Dr. Francis Graham (Retired)

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