Lead Is Still Around!!!
Contents of this Article
What Causes Lead Dust?
Certain household activities are likely to disturb lead-painted surfaces and contaminate dust, including repeatedly opening and closing windows and bumping furniture or other objects against painted walls. Dust can also become contaminated during many home improvement activities. If you must perform any of the activities that follow, do them carefully, and don't do them often. These activities include:
- Nailing, drilling, or screwing into lead-painted surfaces.
- Prying painted surfaces apart.
- Cutting, sawing, or chopping lead-painted surfaces.
- Tearing out walls.
- Making holes in walls or ceiling to access pipes or install electrical outlets.
- Scraping, sanding, brushing, or using a heat gun on painted surfaces before repainting. Heat guns should not be warmed above 1100 degrees F. If heated above this temperature, lead-paint can give off toxic fumes.
Take precautions before you or your contractor begin remodeling or renovating anything that disturbs painted surfaces. If not conducted properly, certain types of renovations can release lead from paint and dust into the air, increasing the risk of exposing your family to lead.
- Have the area tested for lead-based paint.
- Do not use a belt-sander, propane torch, high temperature 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 long after 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 your family, at least completely seal off the work area.
- Follow other safety measures to reduce lead hazards. You can find out about other safety measures by calling 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) and ask for the brochure "Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home," a brochure explaining what to do before, during, and after renovations.
WARNING:
Improper housing renovation increases exposure. The riskiest practices are sanding, scraping or removing lead paint with a heat gun, which taint the air with lead paint dust. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns: There is no completely safe method for do-it-yourself removal of lead paint. Only experts should remove lead paint.
If you think your home has high levels of lead, call the numbers below to help you prevent lead poisoning and eliminate the problem forever.
For More Information
There are state and federal programs in place to ensure that testing for lead is done safely, reliably, and effectively. Contact your state or local agency, or for more information on lead poisoning, or for other information on lead hazards call:
National Lead Information Center to speak with a lead information specialist.
1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline for information on lead hazards in your drinking water.
1-800-426-4791
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Hotline for information on lead in consumer products, or to report an unsafe consumer product or a product-related injury.
1-800-638-2772
For information on lead regulations, outreach efforts, and lead hazard control and research grant programs contact:
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
451 Seventh Street, SW, P-3206
Washington, DC 20410
202-755-1785
Hearing Impaired call the Federal Information Relay Service
1-800-877-8339.
The information provided in this summary is based upon scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented and is 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 can be caused by lead exposure.
U.S. EPA Washington DC 20460
U.S. CPSC Washington DC 20207
U.S. HUD Washington DC 20410
EPA747-K99-001
June 2003
References:
1) ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) - Department of Health and Human Services - January 2008 - www.atsdr.cdc.gov
2) EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency - June 2003 - www.epa.gov
3) United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - FDA Consumer - January - February 1998 - www.cfsan.fda.gov
4) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - National Institutes of Health - Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Jan 2008 - www.niehs.nih.gov
This summary is a general overview about the topic discussed and does not include all the facts, or include everything there is to know about any medicine and/or products mentioned. Do not use any medicine and/or products without first talking to your doctor. Possible side effects of medications, other than those listed, may occur. Full Disclaimer & General Safety Advisory