New lead regulations—The Renovation, Repair, & Painting (RRP) Rule—The RRP Rule requires certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and becomes effective April 22, 2010.

The federal law requires that those hired to repair paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools constructed prior to 1978 must be certified by the EPA under the new RRP Rule. The new mandates, are being implemented to protect children from lead-contaminated dust that can be released when lead-based paint is disrupted.

Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. In children and fetuses, lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead.

Those most involved in renovations, or most affected by renovations, such as home and property owners, organizations that provide care to children, contractors, and realtors should understand that EPA RRP certification is required as of April 22, 2010. RRP-certified renovation firms must conduct work and renovators must have undergone EPA RRP accredited training. Also, lead-safe work practice standards must be employed to ensure lead contamination does not occur.

Lead poisoning is considered the greatest environmental health threat to children under the age of six. Poisoning occurs from swallowing lead, for instance from consuming lead paint chips; lead poisoning also occurs from breathing lead paint dust. Even small amounts of chipped lead paint or lead dust can be dangerous to children. Most noteworthy, children under the age of six face these great risks because their growing bodies absorb lead more easily than adult bodies do.

Millions of American children are affected by lead poisoning and those children who live in old, poorly maintained housing or in housing that has undergone renovation face the greatest risk. Children exposed to flaking or peeling paint chips face the greatest risk of lead disease. In 2007 in New York State, 14 percent of all children who were tested with increased blood lead levels were apparently contaminated due to home renovations.

We have long written about the dangers from lead poisoning and have also long stressed that, once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune, particularly the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. Most recently we wrote that a study recently revealed that childhood exposure to lead can lead to permanent brain damage.

Lead Remodelers and Renovators Certification & Refresher Course information can be accessed on the EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/lead or by contacting Environmental Educational Associates at its Website at www.environmentaleducation.com or directly by telephone at 1-585-753-5087.

Lead poisoning information:

Lead poisoning, with the associated elevated blood lead levels, is the number 1 environmental illness in children in the United States. It is caused primarily by lead based paint utilized in older dwellings before the toxic effects of lead in the environment were fully identified. Approximately 75% of homes built before 1978 contain some type of lead based paint. Lead based paints were utilized both inside and outside the home. Lead poisoning damages the brain, nervous system, kidneys, hearing, and coordination. Learning disabilities, erratic behavior, blindness and pregnancy problems have also been linked to lead poisoning.

The most accurate way to determine the existence of lead is to hire and experienced independent assessment expert. Lead-based paint inspections are generally performed to determine if lead-based paint is present in a building or on a structure, and to what extent. The lead-based paint inspection uses a variety of methods, including the use of paint chip sampling and analysis for determination of paints containing lead. Additionally,  inspectors will utilize proven sampling techniques testing various resulting paint chips using accredited laboratory analysis.

A comprehensive inspection report with recommendations utilizing our experience and approach to lead remediation services will be provided combining knowledge, experience, and capable project management, regardless of size and complexity.

If lead-based paint hazards require remediation, AEI can fit your remediation needs to your project and budget. These efforts can include a variety of methods; interim controls, paint stabilization, encapsulation or encasement of lead-based paint, removal of lead-based paint, along with clean-up and decontamination of lead contaminated surface. Through experience in lead remediation field, we take provide in the fact that we can provide a full range of options to our clients.

For more detailed information on Lead Based Paint visit Environmental Protection Agency website.http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadpdfe.pdf