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EPA LEAD INSPECTOR 2026/2027
ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS.
Lead-based paint (LBP) - ANSWER-Any varnish, shallac, or
coating that contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 - 0.5 % by weight -
5000 ppm - Older instruments could not read accurately at 0.7,
so the lead standard was updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values - ANSWER-- Floors: 40 μg/ft2 >
10 μg/ft2 (10 μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2 > 100 μg/ft2
(50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100
μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft > 2 sq ft (can be
reduced to 1 sq ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations - ANSWER-- 400 ppm for
playgrounds/children's areas - 1200 ppm for rest of yard -
There must be 9 sq ft of soil to classify with soil testing - At
5000 ppm, MUST remediate/abate (remove & replace, paving,
or bioremediation)
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Lab sampling technique - ANSWER-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized
... light is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - ANSWER-- X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive
isotopes (unstable material trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57
(half-life of 9 months) and cadmium-109 (half-life of 15 months)
are the two sources (where radiation originates) - Emits gamma
rays but will read X-rays (backscatters) - Ionizing radiation from
the removal of electrons due to interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard - ANSWER-ANY condition that causes exposure to
lead
LBP inspection - ANSWER-a surface-by-surface investigation
to determine the presence of lead
CPSC - ANSWER-- Consumer Product Safety Commission -
Set a lead paint standard: cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight
... updated to 0.009% - The commission banned lead-based
paint in 1978
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True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments -
ANSWER-True; only risk assessors take samples to determine
likelihood of coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? -
ANSWER-Random ... repeats must be annotated then you
move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement - ANSWER-Must last 20 years.
Includes the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure -
Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - ANSWER-- 15 ppb under the Clean
Water Act (CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA standard (bottled
water) *These are the ONLY instances where ppb is used
Why was lead used so much? - ANSWER-- Durable - Colorful -
Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do? - ANSWER-- Renovation, Repairing, and
Painting program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ...
EPA LEAD INSPECTOR 2026/2027
ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS.
Lead-based paint (LBP) - ANSWER-Any varnish, shallac, or
coating that contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 - 0.5 % by weight -
5000 ppm - Older instruments could not read accurately at 0.7,
so the lead standard was updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values - ANSWER-- Floors: 40 μg/ft2 >
10 μg/ft2 (10 μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2 > 100 μg/ft2
(50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100
μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft > 2 sq ft (can be
reduced to 1 sq ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations - ANSWER-- 400 ppm for
playgrounds/children's areas - 1200 ppm for rest of yard -
There must be 9 sq ft of soil to classify with soil testing - At
5000 ppm, MUST remediate/abate (remove & replace, paving,
or bioremediation)
,2 | Page
Lab sampling technique - ANSWER-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized
... light is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - ANSWER-- X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive
isotopes (unstable material trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57
(half-life of 9 months) and cadmium-109 (half-life of 15 months)
are the two sources (where radiation originates) - Emits gamma
rays but will read X-rays (backscatters) - Ionizing radiation from
the removal of electrons due to interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard - ANSWER-ANY condition that causes exposure to
lead
LBP inspection - ANSWER-a surface-by-surface investigation
to determine the presence of lead
CPSC - ANSWER-- Consumer Product Safety Commission -
Set a lead paint standard: cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight
... updated to 0.009% - The commission banned lead-based
paint in 1978
, 3 | Page
True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments -
ANSWER-True; only risk assessors take samples to determine
likelihood of coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? -
ANSWER-Random ... repeats must be annotated then you
move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement - ANSWER-Must last 20 years.
Includes the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure -
Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - ANSWER-- 15 ppb under the Clean
Water Act (CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA standard (bottled
water) *These are the ONLY instances where ppb is used
Why was lead used so much? - ANSWER-- Durable - Colorful -
Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do? - ANSWER-- Renovation, Repairing, and
Painting program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ...
