Lead Paint Epa Brochure

1. Protect
2 Your
a Family
From
A Lead In
|) Your
Home

United States
Deparment of Housing
‘nd Urban Development

EPATA?99-001
ont 10

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

Lead exposure can harm young
children and babies even before they
are born,

ildren who seem health
have high levels of lead in their bodi

People can get lead in their bodies by
breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by
eating soil or paint chi

d
People have many options
lead hazards. In most
paint that is in good condition is not a
hazard
Removing lead-based paint improperly
can increase the danger to your family

If you think your home might ha
hazards, read this pamphlet to learn some
simple steps to protect your family.

4. In the
United
about
900,000
children ages
1 to 5 have a

level above

an get lead in their body if they:

© Put their hands or other objects
08 with lead dustin their mouth
© Eat paint chips or soil that contains
lead
+ Breathe in lead dust (especially during
renovations that disturb painted
surfaces).

Lead is even more dangerous to children

than adults because:

+ Babies and young children often put
their hands and other object in their
mouths. These objects can have lead
dust on them.

Children's growing bodies absor more
lead,

Children's brains and nervous systems

5. ect

I not detected early, chi
levels of lead in their bodies can suller
from:

+ Damage to the brain and
nervous system

or and learning
eractvity)

+ Sowed growth
+ Hearing problems
+ Head

Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults
can suffer from:

+ Difficuities during pregnane

Other reproductive problem
men and women)

High blood pressure
Digestive problems

+ Nerve disor

+ Memory and concentration problems ss)
+ Muscle and joint pain

6. Many homes built before 1978 have lead

based paint. The federal government

banned lead-based paint from housing in

1978. Some states Stopped its use even

eat, Lead can be found

+ In homes in the city, country or suburbs.
ments, single-family homes, and

ie and public housing,

Inside and outside of the ho

cil around a home. (Soil can pick up
from exterior pant or other sources
such as past use of leaded gas in cars)

To reduce your chiles exposure to lead,
get your child checked, have your home
tested (especially your home has paint
in poor condition and was built before
1978), an fx any hazarós you may have
niger blood tad levels tend o increase

r hom sh x

has high lev.

els of lead. ctor for ad

children. A simp!
detect high levels of le
y recommended for:
+ Children at ages 1 and 2
© Children or other family members who
have been exposed to high levels of lead.
+ Children who should be tested under
your state of local heath screening plan
Your doctor can explain what the test re
mean and it more testing wll be needed.

7. see, can both
be serious

8. You can get your home checked for lead haz-

‘aids in one of two ways, or both:

4 A paint inspection tells you the lead
content of every different type of painted
surface in

ether the paint is à
should deal with it

+ Arisk assessment tells y
any sources of serious lead expo:
(such as peeling paint and lead dust). It

what actions to take
‘address these hazard

Have qualiiod professionals do the work

There are standards in place for

lead-based paint professionals to ens

Yely, relay, and effectively.

Contact your state lead poisoning pr

program for more information. Call 1-8
124-LEAD for alist of

ained profession. 1
when checking your home, including

+ Visual inspection of paint condition and
tion,
table x-ray fluorescence (FF)
machine.
4 Lab tests of paint samples.
Surface dust tests.
ad are available, but

that they are not always

9. thal your house h
hazards, you can take some immediat
stops to reduce your family’ risk:
If you rent, notity y

Peeling or chipping paint
+ Clean up paint chips immediately.

+ Clean floors, wind
sills, and other surf

+ Motaugi rns sponges and mop
1 after cleaning dirty or dusty

+ Wash children’s hands often, especial
ly before they eat and before nap time
and bed time.

p children from chewing wind
surt

before

+ Make sure
nutitious, lo

s lead

10. Removing

lead
improper!
can increase
the hazard to
your family
by spreading
more
lead dust
around the
house.

Autrition:

+ You can temporarily reduce lead haz
by taking actions su ring dam:
aged painted surfaces and planting grass
10 cover sol with high lead levels. These

called “interim controls) are not
solutions and will need ongo:
Ing attention.
© © permanently remove lead hazards,
u must hire a certifie lead “ak
ment” contractor. Abatement (or perma:
ent hazard elimination) methods
include removing, sealing,
lead-based paint
dust painting overt
oh

‘Aways hire a person with special training

for correcting lead problems—some

who knows how to do this work safely

x equipment to clean up

rules as sot by 1
goverment

page 11) for
tied contractors in

12. $ Drinking water. Your home might have
plumbing with lead or lead solder. Ca
your local health department or water
Supplier to find out about testing your
‚der. You cannot see, smell, or taste
2d, and bolling your water wil not
fid of lead. I you think your plumbing
might have lead in it
+ Use only cold water for drinking and
cooking.
Aun water for 15 to 30 seconds
before drinking it ly if yo
have not used your water for a few
hours,
+ Me job. I you work with lead, you
Ät home on your hand

lead hazard

re coming home. Launder your
‘separately from the rest of your

9 Food and liquid
or lead-glazed pe

Lead smelter
release lead into the ar,

+ Hobbies that use lead, such as making
pottery or stained glass,
furniture

+ folk remedies that contain lead, such
"eta" and “azar
upset

13. "The National Lead Information Center
Call 1-800-424-LEAD to learn how to pro
children from lead poisoning and for ot
information on lead hazards. (Internet:
waw.epa.govlead and wanw.hud.govlea).
For Ihe hearing impaired, cal the Federal
Information Polay Service at 1-800-877-
8339 and ask for the National Lead
Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.

EPs Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Cal 1-800-426-4791 for information a
lead in drinking water.

Consumer Product Safety
Commission Hotline

o request information on
consumer products, or to repo
Unsafe consumer product or a prod
Uct-related injury call 1-80

Ith and Environmental Agen
‘and states have their own rules for lead-bas
paint Check with y
or local laws apply to
vide information on finding a lead abatement firm in
Je sources of financial aid for red
Up-to-date address and phone infor
‘mation for state and local contacts on the Internet at
pa govllead or contact the National Lead Information
Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.

15. Please contact HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control
tion on lead regulations, outreach efforts, and lead hazard control
and research grant programs.

16. Simple Steps To Protect Your Family
From Lead Hazards

think your home has high
levels of lead

+ Get your young children tested for lead, even if
they seem healthy,

© Wash children's hands, bottles, pacifiers, and to

+ Make sure children eat healthy, low-fat foods.

© Get your home checked for lead hazards.

+ Pegulariy clean floors, window sill, and other
surfaces

+ Wipe soil off shoes before entering house.

+ Tak to your landlord about fixing surfaces with
peeling or chipping paint

+ Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust
when remodeling or renovating (call 1-800-424
LEAD for guidelines).

+ Don't use a bett-sander, propane torch, heat gun,

dry scraper, or dry sandpaper on painted surface
that may contain lead

+ Don't try to remove lead-based paint yourself.

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