We welcome your comments and suggestions about this site. Some methods of paint removal are prohibited because they create lead dust, and other hazardous lead-containing materials, that can be harmful to anyone doing lead hazard reduction work, and the people living in the home. Lead dust is the most common source of lead exposure for young children. Lead poisoning is a concern for both children and adults - breathing or eating anything that contains too much lead can cause serious health problems.
Young children suffering from lead poisoning can experience learning, behavior and health problems.
Adults exposed to too much lead can suffer from high blood pressure, kidney damage, and fertility problems. The good news is that lead poisoning is preventable. This fact sheet describes the paint removal methods prohibited by law during both voluntary residential lead hazard reduction and ordered lead hazard reduction. Lead hazard reduction is the process of removing or cleaning up the sources of lead. The goal of lead hazard reduction is to make the home safer for the family to live in.