On October 24, 2024, during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced stronger standards aimed at reducing lead paint dust in pre-1978 homes and childcare facilities. This is part of President Biden’s comprehensive effort to protect children and families from harmful lead exposure, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities.
The Impact of Lead Exposure
Lead exposure poses significant health risks, particularly for children under the age of six. Even small amounts of lead can cause serious, irreversible health issues, including:
Behavioral problems
Reduced IQ
Slowed growth
Brain damage
In adults, long-term exposure can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and potentially cause cancer. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and no known treatment for lead poisoning once it occurs.
New Standards to Protect Families
To combat these dangers, the EPA has updated the requirements for identifying and cleaning up lead paint dust. These stricter standards are expected to reduce lead exposure for up to 1.2 million people every year, with a particular focus on children.
Here’s what’s changing:
The lead dust hazard levels for floors are now lowered from 10 micrograms per square foot (µg/ft²) to 5 µg/ft².
For window sills, the limit has been reduced from 100 µg/ft² to 40 µg/ft².
For window troughs, the limit has dropped from 400 µg/ft² to 100 µg/ft².
These levels align with best practices implemented in cities like New York, which has been at the forefront of efforts to protect communities from lead paint hazards.
What Does This Mean for Lead-Based Paint Professionals?
The new rules will require more stringent testing and cleanup procedures for homes and childcare facilities built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use. If lead paint is found, certified professionals must follow EPA-approved practices to remove or contain the lead dust and meet the new, lower lead dust clearance levels. Testing must be conducted to confirm that the property is safe for reoccupancy, ensuring that the health of children and residents is fully protected.
Lead-based paint professionals should familiarize themselves with these updated standards and ensure they are properly certified to comply with EPA regulations. As a training provider, we offer EPA-approved certification courses designed to help professionals meet these requirements and stay up to date with the latest safety standards.
The Need for Community Action
It’s estimated that 31 million homes in the U.S. still contain lead-based paint, with 3.8 million of these homes housing children under six. Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by lead exposure, due to deteriorated housing conditions, historic racial segregation in housing, and limited access to affordable, safe homes. The EPA’s updated rule, along with other government initiatives like the Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, is designed to address these inequalities and create safer living environments for all.
What’s Next?
EPA will host a public webinar to provide an overview of the rule on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Please use the registration link to register for this webinar, to discuss these new regulations in more detail. This is an excellent opportunity for professionals, property owners, and concerned individuals to learn more about how the new standards will be implemented and how they can protect their communities from lead exposure.
At Occupational Training & Supply, Inc., we are committed to providing top-quality training and resources to help lead-based paint professionals stay compliant with EPA regulations and protect the health of children and families. Contact us today to learn more about our certification courses and how we can help you stay ahead of regulatory changes in the lead abatement field.
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