EPA NEW lead requirements for remodeling

[EMSL analytical]

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children. To protect against the risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the new rule, beginning April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Before the remodeling begins, homeowners can simply send EMSL a small sample of a paint chip or a dust wipe (wipes and baggies provided free of charge) of the area and we can tell you if and the amount of lead present.

EMSL analytical laboratory inc. has been providing lead testing analysis for homeowners and contractors for years. With 29 years experience and 32 locations nationwide our laboratory can handle testing for projects of any size. Our lab is AIHA ELLAP accredited to perform lead test analysis. We can also help you with the details of this new regulation. Please feel free to contact me for more information. Jay Rucker 888-958-8170 or jrucker@emsl.com

[Blue]

What is your stock symbol?

[Eieio]

Thank You for that information Jay and welcome to the forum

[SLS-Construction]

First, welcome to RC Jay

Yes, a Homeowner (HO) can do that, HOWEVER, are you informing them that all test results have to be shared with any contractors coming in and must be disclosed and kept with the house permanently? Are you also disclosing to the HO all the possible downsides?

Are you also aware that under the RRP, while we care about prior testing, unless the testing was performed by a Certified Lead Inspector, we must either run our own tests using the swabs or simply assume that lead is present?

[ChrWright]

From the rule:

This final rule excludes some of the same projects that are
excluded by the TSCA section 406(b) regulations, such as lead-based
paint abatement projects and renovations affecting components that have
been found to be free of lead-based paint. To be eligible for the
latter exception, the components must be determined to be free of lead-
based paint by a certified inspector or risk assessor, or by a
certified renovator using an EPA-approved test kit.

[Silvertree]

Oh No!!!!!!

Welcome to the forum, what would be good for your business and ours is that we are on the same page.

Right now RC.com is THE PLACE for lead talk.
Help us out and we will return the favor.:2thumbsup:

[ChrWright]

It would be nice if we could get an EPA person to verify if a Certified Renovator can send samples to a third part lab for testing--and qualify for the exception as stated above. It would seem to me that's a more accurate measure than the stick tests.

However, my guess is that the Lead Inspector or Risk Assessor has been trained in the proper manner and location to take those type of samples.

The certified renovator training only covers the us of the stick test.

[WarnerConstInc.]

in 20 years I wonder what product I will have to remove safely, probably all the bamboo or something silly.

[Silvertree]

Bamboo flooring from China may contain lead, so when we get rolling in this we will have much to do.

[EMSL analytical]

Thank you all for the welcome, hopefully we can be of some help.

EMSL is here to help with lead testing on all levels,
We supply the preliminary lead swab sampling kits ($18.45 for a pack of 8, $34.95 for a pack of 16). These swabs have a false - negative percentage of 5 percent, which some contractors/homeowners are not comfortable with so they opt for a paint chip or dust wipe sample. These samples give an accurate percentage of lead and are in the same price point. We can provide you with free lead wipes and tubes to collect and mail the samples back to us. The cost for each analysis varies on the speed of results, but $20 is a good average.
Our forensic laboratory can help you be proactive by testing any product for lead before it is placed in the home. (EG: the bamboo flooring mentioned in the earlier post)
Please feel free to ask any questions, I am also available by phone at 888-958-8170.