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Photograph of old paint on a historic building, paint is likely to be a source of lead contamination on the soils below. How To Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home

Lead Hazards in the Home: how to protect your family from lead poisoning.

By offering simple steps to protect your family from lead poisoning, this document, expanded from original US CPSC information, provides advice for reducing the risk of lead poisoning for families living in homes where lead exposure is suspected, likely, or where lead contamination is actually confirmed by testing.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Take These Simple Steps To Protect Your Family From Lead Poisoning Hazards

The original U.S. CPSC document that supplied data to this expanded version is public domain. We have made additions to the technical depth of this article and we have added additional important detail about lead hazards - these are indicated by a [bracketed note in italics]. The additional text or commentary, website design, links, and references are

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home
CPSC Document #426
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Washington, DC 20207
EPA747-K-94-001 -- May 1995

Readers of this article should see our review of a Home Test Kit for Lead in on building surfaces located

at LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE. The same company offers a lead-in-water test, as do local health departments and private water testing labs in most cities.

Also see Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Testing & Correction - Advice.

What to Do If you think your home has high levels of lead:

ARE YOU PLANNING TO BUY, RENT, OR RENOVATE A HOME BUILT BEFORE 1978?

Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly. By 1996, federal law will require that individuals receive certain information before renting, buying, or renovating pre-1978 housing:

LANDLORDS will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases will include a federal form about lead-based paint.

SELLERS will have to disclose known information on lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts will include a federal form about lead-based paint in the building. Buyers will have up to 10 days to check for lead hazards. Also see LEAD ENVIRO-SCARE.

RENOVATORS will have to give you this pamphlet before starting work.

If you want more information on these requirements, call the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD.

Watch out for environmental testing and cleanup that are not performed by qualified experts. Details & examples of what can go wrong are
at ASBESTOS REMOVAL, Amateur, Incomplete
and
at ASBESTOS REMOVAL CERTIFICATIONS.

IMPORTANT! [Lead Hazard Warnings]

Lead From Paint, Dust, and Soil Can Be Dangerous If Not Managed Properly.

FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.

FACT: Even children that seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.

FACT: People can get lead in their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips with lead in them.

FACT: People have many options for reducing lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard.

FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.

Suggestions for Remodeling or Renovating a Home that Has Lead Based Paint

If not conducted properly, certain types of renovations can release lead from paint and dust into the air.

Take precautions before you begin remodeling or renovations that disturb painted surfaces (such as scraping off paint or tearing out walls):

If you have already completed renovations or remodeling that could have released lead-based paint or dust, get your young children tested and follow the steps outlined above.

What are Other Sources of Lead and Lead Poisoning?

While paint, dust, and soil are the most common lead hazards, other lead sources also exist.

Lead Hazard Telephone Hotlines

The National Lead Information Center

Call 1-800-LEAD-FYI to learn how to protect children from lead poisoning.

For other information on lead hazards, call the center's clearinghouse at 1-800-424-LEAD. For the hearing impaired, call, TDD 1-800-526-5456 (FAX: 202-659-1192, Internet: EHC@CAIS.COM).

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline

Call 1-800-426-4791 for information about lead in drinking water.

Consumer Product Safety Commission Hotline

To request information on lead in consumer products, or to report an unsafe consumer product or a product-related injury call 1-800-638-2772. (Internet: info@cpsc.gov). For the hearing impaired, call TDD 1-800-638-8270.

Directory of Contact Telephones for U.S. State Health Departments & State Environmental Departments

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.

State/Region Phone Number for Health Departments & Environmental Agencies

Alabama  N/A
Alaska  (907) 465-5152
Arkansas  501) 661-2534
Arizona  (602) 542-7307
California  (510) 450-2424
Colorado  (303) 692-3012
Connecticut  (203) 566-5808
Washington, DC  (202) 727-9850
Delaware  (302) 739-4735
Florida  (904) 488-3385
Georgia  (404) 657-6514
Hawaii  (808) 832-5860
Idaho  (208) 332-5544
Illinois  (800) 545-2200
Indiana  (317) 382-6662
Iowa  (800) 972-2026
Kansas  (913) 296-0189
Kentucky  (502) 564-2154
Louisiana   (504) 765-0219
Massachusetts  (800) 532-9571
Maryland  (410) 631-3859
Maine  (207) 287-4311
Michigan  (517) 335-8885
Minnesota  (612) 627-5498
Mississippi  (601) 960-7463
Missouri  (314) 526-4911
Montana  (406) 444-3671
Nebraska  (205) 242-5661
Nevada  (702) 687-6615
New Hampshire   (603) 271-4507
New Jersey   (609) 633-2043
New York  (800) 458-1158
New Mexico   (505) 841-8024
North Carolina   (919) 715-3293
North Dakota   (701) 328-5188
Ohio  (614) 466-1450
Oklahoma  (405) 271-5220
Oregon  (503) 248-5240
Pennsylvania  (717) 782-2884
Rhode Island   (401) 277-3424
South Carolina  (803) 935-7945
South Dakota   (605) 773-3153
Tennessee  (615) 741-5683
Texas  (512) 834-6600
Utah   (801) 536-4000
Vermont  (802) 863-7231
Virginia   (505) 841-8024
Washington  (206) 753-2556
West Virginia   (304) 558-2981
Wisconsin   (608) 266-5885
Wyoming   (307) 777-7391

EPA Regional Offices useful for Lead Hazard Information or Reporting

Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
John F. Kennedy Federal Building
One Congress Street
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 565-3420
Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)
Building 5
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837-3679
(908) 321-6671
Region 3 (Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia)
841 Chestnut Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 597-9800
Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
(404) 347-4727
Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
(312) 886-6003
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)
First Interstate Bank Tower
1445 Ross Avenue, 12th Floor, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214) 665-7244
Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7020
Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)
999 18th Street, Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2405
(303) 293-1603
Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada)
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 744-1124
Region 10 (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska)
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1200
CPSC REGIONAL OFFICES
U.S. CPSC Eastern Regional Center
201 Varick Street, Room 903
New York, NY 10014-4811
Tele. (212) 620-4120
Fax: (212) 620-5388
U.S. CPSC Central Regional Center
230 South Dearborn Street, Room 2944
Chicago, IL 60604-1601
(312) 353-8260
U.S. CPSC Western Regional Center
1301 Clay Street, Suite 610 N
Oakland, CA 94612
Tele. (510) 637-4050
Fax: (510) 637-4060

...

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