Protect Your Family From Lead in the Home EPA …

1 ProtectYourFamilyFromLead inYourHomeUnited States Environmental ProtectionAgencyUnited States ConsumerProduct Safety EPA Washington DC CPSC Washington DC 20207 May 8/8/95 3:18 PM Page 3 Many houses and apartments built before 1978 havepaint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Leadfrom paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly. By 1996, federal law will require that individuals receive certaininformation before renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing:LANDLORDS will have to disclose knowninformation on lead-based paint hazardsbefore leases take effect.

2 Leases willinclude a federal form about have to disclose known infor-mation on lead-based paint hazards beforeselling a house. Sales contracts will includea federal form about lead-based paint inthe building. Buyers will have up to 10days to check for lead hazards. RENOVATORS will have to give you this pamphlet before starting work. IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATIONon these requirements, call the National Lead Information Clearinghouseat You Planning To Buy, Rent, or Renovatea home Built Before 1978?This document is in the public domain.

3 It may be reproduced by an individualor organization without permission. Information provided in this booklet isbased upon current scientific and technical understanding of the issues present-ed and is reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutesgoverning the co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not neces-sarily provide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazardsthat can be caused by lead 8/8/95 3:18 PM Page 4 IMPORTANT!Lead From Paint, Dust, andSoil Can Be Dangerous If NotManaged Properly FACT:Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before theyare :Even children that seem healthy canhave high levels of lead in their :People can get lead in their bodies bybreathing or swallowing lead dust, orby eating soil or paint chips with lead in :People have many options for reducinglead hazards.

4 In most cases, lead-basedpaint that is in good condition is not a :Removing lead-based paint improperlycan increase the danger to your you think your home might have lead hazards, read this pamphlet to learn some simple steps to Protect your 8/8/95 3:18 PM Page 5u2 People can get lead in their body if they:uPut their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their paint chips or soil that in lead dust (especially duringrenovations that disturb painted surfaces).Lead is even more dangerous to childrenthan adults because:uBabies and young children often puttheir hands and other objects in theirmouths.

5 These objects can have leaddust on s growing bodies absorb s brains and nervous systemsare more sensitive to the damagingeffects of Gets in the Body in Many Ways1 out ofevery 11children inthe UnitedStates hasdangerouslevels of leadin the blood-stream. Even childrenwho appearhealthy canhave dangerouslevels of 8/8/95 3:19 PM Page 6u3 Lead s EffectsIf not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can sufferfrom:uDamage to the brain and nervous systemuBehavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity)uSlowed growthuHearing problemsuHeadachesLead is also harmful to can suffer from.

6 UDifficulties during pregnancyuOther reproductive problems (inboth men and women)uHigh blood pressureuDigestive problemsuNerve disordersuMemory and concentrationproblemsuMuscle and joint painLead affects thebody in 8/8/95 3:19 PM Page 7u4A simple blood test can detect high levelsof tests are important for:uChildren who are 6 months to 1 yearold (6 months if you live in an olderhome with cracking or peeling paint).uFamily members that you think mighthave high levels of your child is older than 1 year, talk toyour doctor about whether your childneeds doctor or health center can do bloodtests.

7 They are inexpensive and sometimesfree. your doctor will explain what the testresults mean. Treatment can range fromchanges in your diet to medication or ahospital homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The federal governmentbanned lead-based paint from housing in1978. Some states stopped its use evenearlier. Lead can be found:uIn homes in the city, country, or apartments, single- Family homes,and both private and public andoutside of the house. uIn soil around a home . (Soil can pick uplead from exterior paint, or othersources such as past use of leaded gasin cars.)

8 Get your children tested if youthink yourhome hashigh levels of your Family for Lead Where Lead-Based Paint Is FoundIn general,the olderyour home ,the morelikely it haslead-basedpaint. 8/8/95 3:19 PM Page 8u5 Lead-based paintthat is in good conditionis usually not a , chipping, chalking, or crackinglead-based paintis a hazard and needsimmediate paint may also be a hazardwhen found on surfaces that children canchew or that get a lot of areas include:uWindows and window and door , railings, and and dustcan form when lead-based paintis dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated.

9 Dustalso forms when painted surfacesbump or rub together. Lead chipsand dust can get on surfaces andobjects that people touch. Settledlead dust can reenter the air whenpeople vacuum, sweep, or walkthrough in soilcan be a hazard whenchildren play in bare soil or whenpeople bring soil into the house ontheir shoes. Call your state agency(see page 12) to find out about soiltesting for Lead Is Likely To Be a HazardLead frompaint chips,which youcan see, andlead dust,which youcan t alwayssee, can bothbe serious hazards 8/8/95 3:19 PM Page 9u6 You can get your home checked for leadhazards in one of two ways, or both:uA paint inspectiontells you the lead content of every painted surface in yourhome.

10 It won t tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should deal with risk assessmenttells you if there areany sources of serious lead exposure(such as peeling paint and lead dust). Italso tells you what actions to take toaddress these qualified professionals do the federal government is writing standards forinspectors and risk assessors. Some states mightalready have standards in your stateagency for help with locating qualified pro-fessionals in your area (see page 12). Trained professionals use a range of meth-ods when checking your home , including:uVisual inspection of paint condition tests of paint dust portable x-ray fluorescence test kits for lead are available, butrecent studies suggest that they are notalways accurate.