Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics

Reducing Lead Hazards

When Remodeling Your Home

United States Environmental

Protection Agency

EPA 747-K-97-001

September 1997
Agency is concerned about homeowners and

building professionals who may be exposed

to lead as a result of remodeling or

renovation projects.

The purpose of this pamphlet is to help

reduce lead exposure when conducting home

renovation and remodeling activities. This

pamphlet will be updated as new information

about lead hazard reduction becomes

available.

T he U.S. Environmental Protection
Table of Contents

Who should read this pamphlet 1

Lead hazards 2

Will the job create lead hazards? 3

Useful equipment and where to get it 4

Safe work practices 6

Setting up to work inside 7

Setting up to work outside 8

Carpet removal 10

HVAC duct work 11

Minor repairs 12

Plumbing work 13

Paint removal and floor refinishing 14

Preparing surfaces for new paint or wallpaper 15

Removal of large structures 16

Window work 17

Cleaning up lead waste 18

Smart Remodeling Checklist 21

Helpful contacts 22

State Lead Program Contacts 23
1

Who should

read this

pamphlet

This pamphlet can help homeowners and contractors

do remodeling or renovation work safely. It will alert

you to the hazards involved in handling lead-based

painted surfaces and will provide useful methods you

can use to reduce or eliminate exposures to lead. If you

are uncertain how to properly perform any of these

methods or where to be properly fitted for a respirator,

you may want to call on a trained contractor or call your

State lead program contact (see page 23).

This pamphlet is not intended for use as a guide for

lead-based paint abatement procedures. Unlike

remodeling and renovation activities, abatement is a

process used only to address lead-based paint hazards.

EPA has promulgated regulations for certification and

training of professionals engaged in lead abatement. You

should check with your State lead program contact (refer

to page 23) for further information on these regulations.

EPA has proposed a rule requiring renovation and

remodeling contractors to provide the EPA pamphlet,

Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home, to

homeowners and occupants of most pre-1978 homes

before they begin work. You should call the National

Lead Information Clearinghouse (800-424-LEAD) to get

further information on the availability of the pamphlet.

This pamphlet is for

anyone involved in a

home improvement

projectwhether you are

actually doing the work

yourself or overseeing

the work of renovation

and remodeling professionals. Using the

described practices will

help keep lead dust

levels lower during the

project and protect

homeowners and

children. They also will

reduce the amount of

lead dust inhaled and

show how to clean up

lead dust once the

project is completed.
2

Renovation and

remodeling activities can

make a lot of dust that

contains lead in and

around your home. If you

are concerned that your

family has been exposed

to lead-based paint, call

your doctor or local health

department to arrange for

a blood test.

Lead-based paint is poisonous. The smallest lead dust

particles cannot be seen but they can get into the body.

The dust and chips from lead-based paint are dangerous

when swallowed or inhaled, especially to small children

and pregnant women. Lead can affect childrens

developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ and

learning disabilities. In adults, high lead levels can cause

high blood pressure, headaches, digestive problems,

memory and concentration problems, kidney damage,

mood changes, nerve 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 healthy children.

A home built in or after 1978 should not contain leadbased paint since lead-based paint was banned for use

in residences in 1978; however, a home built before

1978 is likely to have surfaces painted with lead-based

paint. If you work on these painted surfaces, you can

be exposed to lead. Even if the lead-based paint has

been covered with new paint or another covering,

cracked or chipped painted surfaces can expose the leadbased paint, possibly creating a lead hazard. Drysanding, scraping, brushing, or blasting lead-based paint

can produce dust and paint chips. Burning lead-based

paint with open flame

torches to make it easier to

strip is especially dangerous.

The fumes from the hot paint

contain lead and volatile

chemicals that are poisonous

when inhaled.

Lead

hazards

Is my family okay?

Be concerned if your home was

built before 1978. It may have

lead-based hazards.
3

Will the job

create lead

hazards?

Can I do the work?

It is extremely important

that you properly use all

the methods in this pamphlet in order to protect

you and your family

from lead dust, both

during and after the

project. Unless you can

follow all of the work

practices and safety

precautions in this pamphlet, you should hire

professionals to do your

renovation or remodeling

work. If you decide to

hire remodeling professionals, make sure

they have training and

experience in dealing

with the hazards of

remodeling or renovating

homes with lead-based

paint.

n To be sure that youre not dealing with lead-based

paint you must have the paint tested by a qualified

professional. Use a trained inspector to test your

home. A trained inspector will test the surfaces of

your home by using a portable X-ray fluorescence

(XRF) machine which measures the amount of lead

in the paint or by sending paint samples to a

laboratory equipped to measure lead in paint. The

results of using chemical testing kits are not

recommended. To find an inspector, contact your

State agency listed on page 23 or call 1-(888)

LEADLIST to obtain a list of trained inspectors.

n If you are removing paint or breaking through

painted surfaces, you should be concerned about

lead-based paint hazards. If your job involves

removing paint, sanding, patching, scraping, or

tearing down walls, you should be concerned about

exposure to lead-based paint hazards. If you are

doing 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, since you may be breaking through

painted surfaces to do these jobs.

n If you are working on any painted surface, 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.
4

Getting the right equipment and knowing how to use

it are essential steps in protecting yourself during

remodeling or renovating.

n A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filterequipped vacuum cleaner is a special type of

vacuum cleaner that can remove very small

particles from floors, window sills, and carpets and

keeps them inside the vacuum cleaner. Regular

household or shop vacuum cleaners are not

completely effective in removing lead dust. They

may blow the lead dust out through their exhausts

and spread the dust throughout the home. HEPA

vacuum cleaners are available through laboratory

safety and supply catalogs and vendors. They can

sometimes be rented at stores that carry remodeling

tools.

n You need to use a NIOSH-certified respirator that

is properly fitted and equipped with HEPA filters

to remove lead dust particles out of the air you

breathe. Make sure you buy specific HEPA filters

they are always purple. Dust filters and dust masks

are not effective in preventing you from breathing

in lead particles. Follow the directions that come

with the respirator to make sure it fits. A respirator

that does not fit right will not work. Respirators

are available through laboratory safety and supply

catalogs and vendors, and are sometimes carried

by paint and hardware stores.

n Protective clothes, such as coveralls, shoe covers,

hats, goggles, face shields, and gloves should be

used to help keep lead dust from being tracked into

areas outside of the work site. These items are

available through laboratory safety equipment

supply catalogs and vendors. Inexpensive

disposable suits can sometimes be purchased at

paint stores.

Useful

equipment

and where

to get it

Use a HEPA filter-equipped

vacuum cleaner. Standard

household and shop vacuum

cleaners are not effective at

removing lead dust.
5

n Heavy-duty polyethylene plastic sheeting for

covering areas exposed to lead dust can be purchased

at hardware stores or lumber yards. The label should

say that the plastic is made of polyethylene and is

6 mils thick.

n Duct tape to hold the plastic in place, and completely

seal the work areas, can be purchased at hardware

stores and lumber yards.

n Wet-sanding equipment, wet/dry abrasive paper,

and wet-sanding sponges for wet methods can

be purchased at hardware stores.

n Spray bottles for wetting surfaces to keep dustfrom

spreading can be purchased at general retail and

garden supply stores.

n Cleaning products to use include: either a general

all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specially for

lead to clean the dust from renovation or remodeling

activities. All-purpose cleaners can be found in

grocery stores. Lead-specific cleaning products can

be purchased from some paint and hardware stores.

n Buckets with wringers, debris containers, disposable heavy-duty plastic bags, rags, rakes,

shovels, sponges, and string mops for ongoing,

daily, and final cleaning can be purchased at

hardware and retail stores.
6

You must protect yourself and your family from

breathing lead dust created by renovation and

remodeling projects.

n Keep all non-workers, especially children, pregnant

women, and pets outside of the work area while

doing remodeling or renovation work until cleanup

is completed.

n Break large projects into several small projects so

that you can control the amount of lead dust made.

Clean up after each phase of the project.

n Wear a properly fitted respirator equipped with

HEPA filters.

n Wear protective clothing such as coveralls, shoe

covers, goggles, and gloves to keep dust off your

skin. Launder these items separately.

n Change your clothes and shoes before leaving the

work area to avoid carrying lead dust throughout

the house.

n Machine wash your work clothes separately from

other family laundry.

n Shower and wash hair right after finishing work to

reduce dust contamination.

n Do not eat, smoke, or drink in the work area to avoid

accidentally swallowing lead dust. Wash your hands

and face before eating, smoking, or drinking.

n Dispose of used wash water down a toilet.* Never

pour wash water on soil.

* Check with your State lead program (see page 23) to make sure there

are no regulations in your State that prohibit this.

Safe work

practices

Do wear a respirator so you

don't breathe in lead.

Don't wear dust masksthey

won't protect you from lead.
7

Setting up

to work

inside

Close off entryways

with an airlock.

Dust contaminated with lead can cling to your clothes

and skin, to walls and floors, and to furniture and floor

coverings. Forced-air heating and air conditioning

systems also can spread dust throughout your home.

To keep dust from spreading throughout your home,

take the following safeguards:

n Remove furniture, area rugs, curtains, food,

clothing, and other household items until cleanup

is complete. If you are removing wall-to-wall carpet

as part of your remodeling job, see page 10.

n A layer of polyethylene plastic sheeting, at least

6 mils thick, should be placed on the floor and on

the furnishings and exposed surfaces that cannot

be removed, such as countertops and shelves. Cover

openings, such as gaps around pipes, with a single

sheet of plastic. All plastic should be secured with

duct tape.

n Turn off forced-air heating and air conditioning

systems during renovation and remodeling. Cover

vents with plastic sheeting and tape the sheeting in

place with duct tape. Windows should be kept

closed unless volatile chemicals will be used.

n An airlock should be constructed at the entry to

the work area. The airlock consists of two sheets of

plastic. One sheet is completely taped along all four

edges. The tape must extend all the way around

the top, two sides, and the floor. This plastic sheet is

then cut down the middle. The second sheet is only

taped along the top and acts as a flap covering the

slit in the first sheet of plastic. If two entryways exist,

one should be completely sealed in plastic. As an

alternative, the doorway can be taped closed on all

sides.
8

Setting up

to work

outside

Exterior work often produces dust, paint chips, larger

pieces of material, and liquids that contain lead. It is

easy to track dust containing lead inside your home,

where it can pose a hazard. Trash that contains lead

also can contaminate the soil surrounding the house if

you don't handle it correctly. To avoid contaminating

the areas surrounding your house, take the following

precautions:

n If using a ladder, anchor it securely to the ground,

not to the plastic which can be punctured.

n If wind speeds exceed 20 mph, or if it begins to

rain, stop and complete cleanup.

n One lead-safe entryway should be made available

to residents at all times. Do not treat front and rear

entrances simultaneously if there is not a third

doorway.

n Cover the ground and any plants or flowers with

6 mil polyethylene plastic sheeting to catch dust and

trash. A single sheet of polyethylene plastic sheeting,

at least 6 mils thick, should extend at least 5 feet from

the base of the dwelling and an additional 3 feet for

each additional story.

n All windows, including windows in adjacent

dwellings, within 20 feet of the work area should

be kept closed.
9

n Playground equipment, sandboxes, and toys should

be moved at least 20 feet away from the work area.

If items cannot be moved from the area, then they

should be sealed with plastic sheeting.

n Remove personal belongings from the area before

starting work.

Secure plastic to the side of the dwelling with duct tape.

There should be no gaps between the dwelling and the

plastic. Plastic sheeting should extend at least 8 feet

from the foundation of a two-story house.

Wood studs block

liquid from escaping.

Bricks or rocks should be

used to hold the edges

of the plastic sheeting

in place.
10

Carpet

removal If you plan to remove or replace your carpet as part of a

remodeling job, take the following steps to avoid

spreading lead dust:

n Mist the entire surface of the carpet with water to

keep dust down.

n Roll the carpet inward to avoid spreading dust to

other areas.

n Wrap carpet and pad in 6 mil polyethylene plastic

sheeting. Tape seams closed with duct tape.

n Vacuum floor with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum

cleaner after the carpet is wrapped but before you

remove it.

n HEPA vacuum the floor again after you remove the

carpet.

Mist carpet surfaces with water

to reduce spread of dust.
11

HVAC

duct work Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system ducts

can accumulate dust for many years. If you suspect that

the dust contains lead, follow these steps when replacing

or cleaning the ducts:

n Cover the floor under the ducts with 6 mil

polyethylene plastic sheeting to catch dry falling

dust.

n Use a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner to

remove dust from the inside of the ducts before

beginning work.

n Rinse the duct pieces in an area well away from the

house before reinstalling them. If you are disposing

of old duct pieces, first wrap them in plastic and seal

with duct tape.

Heating and air conditioning ducts can

accumulate dust that contains lead.
12

Minor

repairs If you plan to conduct minor repairs on painted surfaces,

such as repairing or replacing a door lock, repairing a

door, drilling holes to install shelves, or sawing into

painted wood or plaster, then wet methods and simple

cleaning can reduce hazards of lead dust:

n Cover the floor under the work area with 6 mil

polyethylene plastic sheeting to catch any sludge or

dust.

n Spray the work area surface with water to reduce

the amount of dust generated during the minor

repair.

n To eliminate friction points on a door, first mist the

door, then remove the door to plane it. Keep door

surfaces being planed wet during repair. Replace

the door when the work is complete.

n Vacuum the floor under the work area and all

surfaces within 5 feet of the work area with a HEPA

filter-equipped vacuum cleaner.
13

Plumbing

work

Remove faucet aerators and

clean out any debris.

If you are working on older pipes that contain lead

solder, you should be concerned about lead hazards

in plumbing. Disturbing lead-soldered pipes can

dislodge pieces of lead solder that can get into your

drinking water or come to rest in aerators or the

bottom of pipes or joints. Follow these precautions

to reduce lead hazards in plumbing:

During work:

n Follow the practices outlined in the Minor repairs

section (page 12) when you break through walls

or floors to reach pipes.

n Use adequate ventilation to avoid inhaling

dangerous fumes from soldering.

n Promptly dispose of solder pieces in heavy-duty

plastic bags when you finish plumbing work.

n Use lead-free solder when working on drinking

water plumbing.

After work is completed:

n Remove faucet aerators and clean out any debris

before re-installing them. Look carefully for grit

or pieces of solder and remove them.

n Flush the supply pipes you have been working

on by letting them run for several minutes with

the aerators removed. The water flowing through

the pipes removes small pieces of loose solder.

Aerator
14

Paint

removal

and floor

refinishing

Using heat guns

Do not use a heat gun

operating above 1,100°F or

open flame torches to

loosen lead-based paint.

Heating and burning leadbased paint makes

dangerous fumes and

vapors.

Paint removal usually creates extensive amounts of lead

and lead dust when using processes such as heat,

chemicals, and sharp tools. It can be performed safely

and effectively by following the precautions below.

n The painted surface should be misted with water

first. The paint may be removed by wet scraping or

wet sanding with a HEPA vacuum attachment, or

using a wet-sanding sponge. Wipe the area you are

sanding often and rinse the sponge in a bucket of

water.

n Chemical strippers may be used to remove paint,

but those containing methylene chloride are not

recommended. Exercise caution when using paint

strippers since they contain toxic chemicals.

n Heat guns may be used to remove paint, but do not

use those that operate above 1,100° F.

n For mechanical removal methods (such as HEPA

vacuum blasting, machine sanding or grinding), use

tools equipped with HEPA exhaust capability.

After removing the paint, wash the surface with a

recommended cleaning product (see page 5), rinse, and

let dry before re-treating.
15

Preparing

surfaces

for new

paint or

wallpaper

Blasting and

power washing

Do not blast or power

wash lead-based painted

surfaces. Blasting and

power washing create

large amounts of dust and

waste water that contain

lead and can contaminate

large areas.

Preparing walls and other surfaces for painting, staining,

or wallpapering can create lead exposure risks. With

good work practices, you can reduce the risk of exposure

to lead.

n Cover the floor and furniture with 6 mil polyethylene plastic sheeting.

n Avoid sanding lead-based painted surfaces whenever possible. If you must sand, use a sander with a

vacuum attachment connected to a HEPA filterequipped vacuum cleaner, or use a wet-sanding

sponge.

n Wipe the area you are sanding often and rinse the

sponge in a bucket of water. Strain out any chips of

paint and dispose of them in heavy-duty plastic bags.

Dispose of the used wash water down the toilet.*

Wash the walls with a recommended cleaning

product (refer to page 5), rinse, and let dry before

painting or wallpapering. Be careful while wet

sanding because wet plastic can be very slippery.

n Exercise caution when using paint strippers since

they contain toxic chemicals. Chemical strippers

containing methylene chloride are not

recommended.

n If you intend to feather or scrape the lead-based

painted surface, spray the work area surface with

water to reduce the amount of dust. For scraping,

use a wet-scraper with a HEPA filter-equipped

exhaust.

* Check with your State lead program (see page 23) to make sure

there are no regulations in your State that prohibit this.
16

Removal

of large

structures

Wear protective clothing and a

respirator when removing

walls that may contain lead.

When you demolish and remove large structures

painted with lead-based paint, such as walls, door

frames, floor coverings, and ceilings, you are likely to be

left with large amounts of dust and trash that contain

lead.

To reduce exposure to large amounts of lead dust:

n Seal off the work area by covering entryways with

6 mil polyethylene plastic sheeting.

n Cover nearby windows with 6 mil polyethylene

plastic sheeting.

n Turn off forced-air heating and air conditioning

systems. Then cover heating and air conditioning

vents with a layer of 6 mil polyethylene plastic

sheeting.

n Remove rugs and furniture from the work area, if

possible.

n Cover the floors and the furniture in the work area

and adjoining areas with 6 mil polyethylene plastic

sheeting.

n Wet the surface and debris as you demolish it to

keep dust levels down.

n Remove and dispose of trash properly. Allowing

debris to accumulate in the work area increases the

risk of spreading dust through the house.
17

Window

work

Remove window unit from the

outside, if possible.

Window sills and window frames on homes built before

1978 can have high amounts of lead-based paint. Since

these items are seldom replaced, paint tends to build up

on them. Follow these basic safety precautions for

working on these types of windows:

n For window pane/glass replacement, cover the floor

inside under the window with 6 mil polyethylene

plastic sheeting to catch any dust fall. Spray the work

area surface with water to reduce the amount of dust

generated when replacing the window pane/glass.

Score the window pane/glass with a razor knife to

facilitate its removal. Collect all dust and paint chips

and dispose in a sealed plastic bag.

n For window repair, cover the floor inside under the

window with plastic sheeting to catch any dust fall.

Spray the work area surface with water to reduce

the amount of dust generated when repairing the

window. Wet scrape deteriorated paint. Collect all

dust and paint chips and dispose in a sealed plastic

bag.

n For window replacement, cover the entire inside

window opening with plastic sheeting. Cover

the floor inside under the window and the

ground outside the window with 6 mil polyethylene plastic sheeting to catch any dust fall.

Spray the window sill and frame with water to

reduce the dust. Remove the window unit from

the outside, if possible. Collect all dust and paint

chips and dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag.

Frame

Sill
18

Cleaning

up lead

waste

Vacuum dust from clothing.

Wash hands thoroughly

to remove lead dust.

Cleaning includes not only the removal of visible debris

but also the removal of leaded dust particles which are

too small to be seen by the naked eye.

Pay special attention to cleanup activities to prevent

contaminating other areas or exposing people to lead.

Everyone working on your job should take the

precautions given here to help prevent lead

contamination.

Personal cleanup:

n Vacuum dust from clothing using a HEPA filterequipped vacuum cleaner.

n Wash your hands and face before you leave the work

site.

n Change your clothes and shoes before leaving the

work site to prevent contaminating areas outside

the work site. After removing your clothes, machine

wash them separately from other family laundry.

n Do not take off your respirator until after you have

removed your outer protective clothing.

n Shower and wash your hair right after finishing

work to prevent spreading lead dust.
19

Daily site cleanup:

n Dispose of construction trash in a heavy-duty

plastic bag.* Carefully remove the dust and trash

from the plastic sheeting to avoid contaminating

other areas. If possible, pass the trash out a window

to avoid carrying it through the house.

n Strain out paint chips from liquid waste and dispose

of them in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Dispose of the

remaining water down a toilet.*

n Mop the floors with a cleaning product recommended on page 5 using a disposable mop and water

in areas where there is little dust, or vacuum with a

HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner. Change

wash water frequently. Rinse with clean water.

Dispose of used water down a toilet.*

n Vacuum the plastic sheeting covering wall-to-wall

carpeting with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum

cleaner.

n Mist outside areas using a garden hose before

sweeping these areas with a broom. Avoid dry

sweeping since it spreads lead dust. Shovel, rake,

or vacuum (HEPA filter-equipped) trash into heavyduty plastic bags* placed in cardboard boxes for

support.

n Clean your vacuums and tools with a recommended

cleaning product (refer to page 5) and water.

n Seal off the entryways with 6 mil polyethylene

plastic if you have to leave a work site unattended.

* Check with your State lead program (see page 23) to make sure

there are no regulations in your State that prohibit this.
20

Am I done?

Consider hiring a

professional to test areas

for lead dust contamination after your final

cleanup. Call your local

health department or the

National Lead

Information Center

Clearinghouse at

(800) 424-LEAD for a

referral to a lead-testing

professional.

Final cleanup:

n Start your cleanup work from the dirtiest part of

the work area and work toward the clean area of

the house.

n Work from the top of the room toward the bottom,

cleaning ceilings first, then walls, counters, and

floors.

n Carefully remove any plastic sheeting used to

protect surfaces by rolling or folding inward.

n Wash floors and walls with a recommended

cleaning product (refer to page 5). Dispose of used

wash water down a toilet.

n Vacuum walls, floors, and wall-to-wall carpeting

with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner.

n Vacuum chair rails, window sills, casings, shelves,

countertops, and baseboards again, once they are

dry.
21

Smart Remodeling Checklist

Before the work begins

q Have your paint tested for lead by a qualified professional.

q Cover interior and exterior exposed areas with plastic sheeting.

q Turn off forced-air heating and air conditioning systems.

During work

q Keep all non-workers outside of the work area.

q Wear protective clothing and shoes while doing the work.

q Use a properly fitted respirator equipped with HEPA filters.

q Exercise caution when using paint strippers since they contain toxic chemicals.

q Do not eat, drink, or smoke in the work area.

q Do not dry-sand, blast, or power-wash to remove lead-based paint.

q Do not use high-temperature heat guns or open flames on lead-based paint.

After work is completed

q Remove plastic sheeting by rolling or folding inward.

q Wrap construction debris with plastic.

q Vacuum exposed areas with a HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner.

q Wash exposed areas with a general all-purpose cleaner or lead-specific cleaning

product.

q Change clothes and shoes before leaving the work area. Machine wash separately.

q Shower and wash your hair right after finishing work.

q Test areas for lead dust contamination after final cleanup.
22

Helpful

contacts You may need additional information on how to protect

yourself while remodeling or renovating. For more

information:

n Call your State lead-poisoning prevention contact

and your State Department of Environmental

Protection to find out what assistance is available.

Phone numbers of State lead poisoning prevention

contacts are listed on the next page.

n Call your local building code officials to find out

what regulations apply to the renovation and

remodeling work that you are planning.

n Call your local health department to find out what

other information is available about lead hazards and

what assistance is available to you.

n Call the National Lead Information Center at

(800) 424-LEAD to get a list of laboratories that can

analyze paint and dust samples for lead, and to

obtain other important lead hazard information,

such as the pamphlets Lead Poisoning and Your

Children and Protect Your Family From Lead in Your

Home. In the future, renovation and remodeling

contractors may be required to provide a copy of

this pamphlet to homeowners and occupants before

they begin work.

n Call the Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Office of Lead Hazard Control at (888) LEADLIST

to obtain a list of trained inspectors.

n Call the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Job Safety and

Health at (202) 219-8151 to get information on

respirators and protective clothing.

n Call the National Conference of State Legislatures

at (303) 830-2200 to get information about the current

state regulations for disposing of lead waste in your

area.
23

State Lead Program Contacts

Alabama (205) 242-5661 Montana (406) 444-3671

Alaska (907) 465-5152 Nebraska (402) 471-2451

Arkansas (501) 661-2534 Nevada (702) 687-6615

Arizona (602) 542-7307 New Hampshire (603) 271-4507

California (510) 450-2424 New Jersey (609) 633-2043

Colorado (303) 692-3012 New Mexico (505) 841-8024

Connecticut (203) 566-5808 New York (800) 458-1158

Washington, D.C. (202) 727-9850 North Carolina (919) 715-3293

Delaware (302) 739-4735 North Dakota (701) 328-5188

Florida (904) 488-3385 Ohio (614) 466-1450

Georgia (404) 657-6514 Oklahoma (405) 271-5220

Hawaii (808) 832-5860 Oregon (503) 248-5240

Idaho (208) 332-5544 Pennsylvania (717) 782-2884

Illinois (800) 545-2200 Rhode Island (401) 277-3424

Indiana (317) 382-6662 South Carolina (803) 935-7945

Iowa (800) 972-2026 South Dakota (605) 773-3153

Kansas (913) 296-0189 Tennessee (615) 741-5683

Kentucky (502) 564-2154 Texas (512) 834-6600

Louisiana (504) 765-0219 Utah (801) 536-4000

Massachusetts (800) 532-9571 Vermont (802) 863-7231

Maryland (410) 631-3859 Virginia (800) 523-4019

Maine (207) 287-4311 Washington (206) 753-2556

Michigan (517) 335-8885 West Virginia (304) 558-2981

Minnesota (612) 627-5498 Wisconsin (608) 266-5885

Mississippi (601) 960-7463 Wyoming (307) 777-7391

Missouri (314) 526-4911

Some cities and states have their own rules for lead-based paint activities. Check with your

State agency (listed below) to see if state or local laws apply to you. Most state agencies can

also provide information on finding a lead abatement firm in your area, and on possible

sources of financial aid for reducing lead hazards.