Protect
Your
FamilyFrom
Lead InYour
Home
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
United States
Consumer Product
Safety Commission
United States
Department of Housing
and Urban Development

U.S. EPA Washington DC 20460
U.S. CPSC Washington DC 20207
U.S. HUD Washington DC 20410

EPA747-K-99-001
September 2001

Are You Planning To Buy, Rent, or Renovatea Home Built Before 1978?
any houses and apartments built before 1978 havepaint that contains high levels of lead (called leadbased paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust canpose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly.
Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information
before renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing:M

LANDLORDS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based
paint hazards before leases take effect.
Leases must include a disclosure form
about lead-based paint.
SELLERS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based
paint hazards before selling a house. Sales
contracts must include a disclosure form
about lead-based paint. Buyers have up to
10 days to check for lead.
RENOVATORS have to give you thispamphlet before starting work.
IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION
on these requirements, call the
National Lead Information Center at
1-800-424-LEAD (424-5323).

This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced by an individual ororganization without permission. Information provided in this booklet is based
upon current scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented andis reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governing
the co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily provide 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 they
are 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 containing
lead.
FACT: People have many options for reducing
lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based
paint that is in good condition is not ahazard.
FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperly
can 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.

1

Lead Gets in the Body in Many Ways
Childhoodleadpoisoningremains amajorenvironmental healthproblem in
the U.S.

Even children
who appear
healthy canhave dangerous levels oflead in theirbodies.

2

People can get lead in their body if they:: Breathe in lead dust (especially during
renovations that disturb painted
surfaces).
: Put their hands or other objects
covered with lead dust in their mouths.
: Eat paint chips or soil that contains
lead.
Lead is even more dangerous to children
than adults because:: Children’s brains and nervous systems
are more sensitive to the damaging
effects of lead.
: Children’s growing bodies absorb morelead.
: Babies and young children often put
their hands and other objects in theirmouths. These objects can have lead
dust on them.

Lead’s Effects
If not detected early, children with highlevels of lead in their bodies can sufferfrom:: Damage to the brain andnervous system

Brain or Nerve Damage
Hearing
Problems: Behavior and learning
problems (such as hyperactivity): Slowed growth: Hearing problems

SlowedGrowth: Headaches
Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults
can suffer from:: Difficulties during pregnancy: Other reproductive problems (in both
men and women): High blood pressure: Digestive problems: Nerve disorders: Memory and concentration problems

Digestive
Problems
Reproductive
Problems(Adults): Muscle and joint pain

Lead affects
the body inmany ways.

3

Where Lead-Based Paint Is Found
In general,
the older yourhome, themore likely it
has leadbased paint.

Many homes built before 1978 have leadbased paint. The federal government
banned lead-based paint from housing in
1978. Some states stopped its use even
earlier. Lead can be found:: In homes in the city, country, or suburbs.
: In apartments, single-family homes, andboth private and public housing.
: Inside and outside of the house.
: In soil around a home. (Soil can pick up
lead from exterior paint or other sources
such as past use of leaded gas in cars.)

Checking Your Family for Lead
Get yourchildren andhome tested
if you think
your home
has high levels of lead.

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 increase
rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, andtend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.
Consult your doctor for advice on testing
your children. A simple blood test can
detect high levels of lead. Blood tests areusually recommended for:: Children at ages 1 and 2.
: Children or other family members who
have been exposed to high levels of lead.
: Children who should be tested under
your state or local health screening plan.
Your doctor can explain what the test resultsmean and if more testing will be needed.

4

Identifying Lead Hazards
Lead-based paint is usually not a hazard if
it is in good condition, and it is not on an
impact or friction surface, like a window. It
is defined by the federal government as
paint with lead levels greater than or equal
to 1.0 milligram per square centimeter, ormore than 0.5% by weight.
Deteriorating lead-based paint (peeling,chipping, chalking, cracking or damaged)
is a hazard and needs immediate attention.
It may also be a hazard when found on surfaces that children can chew or that get a
lot of wear-and-tear, such as:

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

: Windows and window sills.
: Doors and door frames.
: Stairs, railings, banisters, and porches.
Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, drysanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or
rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects
that people touch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum, sweep, or walk through it. The following two federal
standards have been set for lead hazards in dust:: 40 micrograms per square foot (µg/ft2) and higher for floors,
including carpeted floors.
: 250 µg/ft2 and higher for interior window sills.
Lead in soil can be a hazard when children play in bare soil orwhen people bring soil into the house on their shoes. The following
two federal standards have been set for lead hazards in residential
soil:: 400 parts per million (ppm) and higher in play areas of bare soil.
: 1,200 ppm (average) and higher in bare soil in the remainder ofthe yard.
The only way to find out if paint, dust and soil lead hazards exist is
to test for them. The next page describes the most common methods used.
5Checking Your Home for Lead
Just knowingthat a home
has leadbased paintmay not tell
you if there
is a hazard.

You can get your home checked for lead in
one of two ways, or both:: A paint inspection tells you the leadcontent of every different type of painted surface in your home. It won’t tell
you whether the paint is a hazard or
how you should deal with it.
: A risk assessment tells you if there are
any sources of serious lead exposure(such as peeling paint and lead dust). It
also tells you what actions to take toaddress these hazards.
Hire a trained, certified professional who
will use a range of reliable methods whenchecking your home, such as:: Visual inspection of paint condition andlocation.
: A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF)
machine.
: Lab tests of paint, dust, and soil
samples.
There are standards in place to ensure thework is done safely, reliably, and effectively. Contact your local lead poisoning prevention program for more information, or
call 1-800-424-LEAD for a list of contacts
in your area.
Home test kits for lead are available, but
may not always be accurate. Consumers
should not rely on these tests before doing
renovations or to assure safety.

6

What You Can Do Now To Protect
Your Family
If you suspect that your house has lead
hazards, you can take some immediate
steps to reduce your family’s risk:: If you rent, notify your landlord of
peeling or chipping paint.
: Clean up paint chips immediately.
: Clean floors, window frames, window
sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a
mop or sponge with warm water and ageneral all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner
made specifically for lead. REMEMBER:
NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACHPRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEYCAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
: Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop
heads after cleaning dirty or dusty
areas.
: Wash children’s hands often, especially before they eat and before nap timeand 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 highin iron and calcium, such as
spinach and dairy products.
Children with good diets absorb
less lead.
7

Reducing Lead Hazards In The Home
Removing
lead
improperly
can increase
the hazard to
your familyby spreadingeven morelead dust
around thehouse.
Always use aprofessional who
is trained toremove lead
hazards safely.

In addition to day-to-day cleaning and goodnutrition:: You can temporarily reduce lead hazards
by taking actions such as repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass
to cover soil with high lead levels. These
actions (called “interim controls”) are notpermanent solutions and will need ongoing attention.
: To permanently remove lead hazards,
you should hire a certified lead “abatement” contractor. Abatement (or permanent hazard elimination) methods
include removing, sealing, or enclosing
lead-based paint with special materials.
Just painting over the hazard with regular
paint is not permanent removal.
Always hire a person with special training
for correcting lead problems—someone
who knows how to do this work safely andhas the proper equipment to clean up
thoroughly. Certified contractors will employ
qualified workers and follow strict safety
rules as set by their state or by the federal
government.
Once the work is completed, dust cleanup
activities must be repeated until testing
indicates that lead dust levels are below thefollowing:: 40 micrograms per square foot (µg/ft2)
for floors, including carpeted floors;: 250 µg/ft2 for interior windows sills; and: 400 µg/ft2 for window troughs.

8

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

Remodeling or Renovating a Home With
Lead-Based Paint
Take precautions before your contractor oryou begin remodeling or renovating anything that disturbs painted surfaces (suchas scraping off paint or tearing out walls):: Have the area tested for lead-based
paint.
: Do not use a belt-sander, propane
torch, heat gun, dry scraper, or dry
sandpaper to remove lead-based
paint. These actions create large
amounts of lead dust and fumes. Lead
dust can remain in your home longafter 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 yourfamily, at least completely seal off thework area.
: Follow other safety measures toreduce 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 brochureexplains what to do before, during,
and after renovations.

If notconducted
properly,certain typesof renovations canrelease leadfrom paintand dust into
the air.

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

9

Other Sources of Lead
: Drinking water. Your home might haveplumbing with lead or lead solder. Call
your local health department or watersupplier to find out about testing yourwater. 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:

While paint, dust,
and soil are themost common
lead hazards,
other leadsources also exist.

• Use only cold water for drinking andcooking.
• 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 orclothes. Shower and change clothes
before coming home. Launder your work
clothes separately from the rest of yourfamily’s clothes.
: 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 refinishingfurniture.
: Folk remedies that contain lead, such as“greta” and “azarcon” used to treat an
upset stomach.

10

For More Information
The National Lead Information Center
Call 1-800-424-LEAD (424-5323) to learn
how to protect children from lead poisoning
and for other information on lead hazards.
To access lead information via the web, visit
www.epa.gov/lead andwww.hud.gov/offices/lead/.
For the hearing impaired, call the Federal
Information Relay Service at 1-800-8778339 and ask for the National Lead
Information 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 (CPSC) Hotline
To request information on lead in
consumer products, or to report anunsafe consumer product or a product-related injury call 1-800-6382772, or visit CPSC's website at:www.cpsc.gov.
Health and Environmental Agencies
Some cities, states, and tribes havetheir own rules for lead-based paintactivities. Check with your local agency to
see which laws apply to you. Most agencies
can also provide information on finding alead abatement firm in your area, and on
possible sources of financial aid for reducing
lead hazards. Receive up-to-date address
and phone information for your local contacts on the Internet at www.epa.gov/leador contact the National Lead Information
Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.
11

EPA Regional Offices
Your Regional EPA Office can provide further information regarding regulations and lead protection programs.

EPA Regional Offices
Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Vermont)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 1
Suite 1100 (CPT)One Congress Street
Boston, MA 02114-2023
1 (888) 372-7341
Region 2 (New Jersey, New York,
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 22890 Woodbridge Avenue
Building 209, Mail Stop 225
Edison, NJ 08837-3679(732) 321-6671
Region 3 (Delaware, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC,
West Virginia)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 3 (3WC33)
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103(215) 814-5000
Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 562-8998
Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 5 (DT-8J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3666(312) 886-6003

12

Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 61445 Ross Avenue, 12th Floor
Dallas, TX 75202-2733(214) 665-7577

Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
Nebraska)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 7(ARTD-RALI)
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101(913) 551-7020
Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466(303) 312-6021

Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii,
Nevada)Regional Lead Contact
U.S. Region 975 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105(415) 947-4164
Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon,
Washington)
Regional Lead Contact
U.S. EPA Region 10
Toxics Section WCM-128
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101-1128(206) 553-1985

CPSC Regional Offices
Your Regional CPSC Office can provide further information regarding regulations and consumer product safety.

Eastern Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
201 Varick Street, Room 903
New York, NY 10014(212) 620-4120

Western Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
1301 Clay Street, Suite 610-N
Oakland, CA 94612(510) 637-4050

Central Regional Center
Consumer Product Safety Commission
230 South Dearborn Street, Room 2944
Chicago, IL 60604(312) 353-8260

HUD Lead Office
Please contact HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard
Control for information on lead regulations, outreach efforts, andlead hazard control and research grant programs.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
451 Seventh Street, SW, P-3206
Washington, DC 20410(202) 755-1785

13

Simple Steps To Protect Your Family
From Lead Hazards
If you think your home has highlevels of lead:: Get your young children tested for lead, even if
they seem healthy.
: Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers, and toysoften.
: Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods.
: Get your home checked for lead hazards.
: Regularly clean floors, window sills, and othersurfaces.
: Wipe soil off shoes before entering house.
: Talk to your landlord about fixing surfaces withpeeling or chipping paint.
: Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust
when remodeling or renovating (call 1-800-424LEAD for guidelines).
: Don’t use a belt-sander, propane torch, heat gun,dry scraper, or dry sandpaper on painted surfacesthat may contain lead.
: Don’t try to remove lead-based paint yourself.

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Printed with vegetable oil based inks on recycled paper (minimum 50%
postconsumer) process chlorine free.