EPA Lead Inspector Guaranteed Success
1. What constitutes lead-based paint (LBP)?
- Answer: Lead-based paint is defined as any coating, including varnishes or shellacs, that contains lead
at levels of 1.0 mg/cm², 0.5% by weight, or 5000 ppm. Historical instruments were unable to accurately
measure lead concentrations starting at 0.7, leading to the current standard of 1.0.
2. What are the dust sample clearance values for different surfaces?
- Answer:
- Floors: 40 μg/ft² (greater than 10 μg/ft², with New York specifying 10 μg/ft²)
- Windows: 250 μg/ft² (greater than 100 μg/ft², 50 μg/ft² in New York)
- Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft² (greater than 100 μg/ft² in New York)
- Samples must cover an area of at least 1 ft² (which may be reduced to 1 ft² if within 10 μg).
3. What are the EPA regulations regarding lead levels in soil?
- Answer: The EPA has set the following soil lead limits:
- 400 ppm for playgrounds and children's areas
- 1200 ppm for the rest of the yard
- A minimum of 9 square feet of soil testing is required for proper evaluation
- At 5000 ppm, remediation is mandatory, which may include removal, replacement, paving, or
bioremediation.
4. What lab technique is commonly used for lead sampling?
- Answer: Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) is employed to analyze lead samples. In this method,
samples are vaporized in a furnace while light passes through, providing quantitative results.
5. How does XRF (X-ray fluorescence) technology function?
- Answer: XRF uses radioactive isotopes, specifically cobalt-57 and cadmium-109, to emit gamma rays
and detect X-rays through backscattering, aiming to analyze lead concentrations by evaluating
interactions that remove electrons via ionizing radiation.
, 6. What defines a lead-based paint hazard?
- Answer: A lead-based paint hazard is any condition that results in human exposure to lead.
7. What is involved in a lead inspection?
- Answer: A lead inspection entails a thorough surface-by-surface assessment to identify the presence
of lead.
8. What is the function of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) concerning lead?
- Answer: The CPSC established a lead paint standard that prohibits lead content greater than 0.06% by
weight, which was later updated to 0.009%. The commission banned the use of lead-based paint in
1978.
9. True or False: Dust samples are only collected for hazard assessments.
- Answer: True; only risk assessors collect samples to evaluate the likelihood of contamination
exposure.
10. What type of sampling is required for lead inspections?
- Answer: Random sampling must be conducted, and any repeats should be documented before
proceeding to the next location.
11. What guidelines does HUD provide for abatement?
- Answer: HUD guidelines dictate that abatement procedures must last at least 20 years and include
options such as removal, enclosure, replacement, and encapsulation. Merely painting over is deemed a
temporary solution.
12. What lead standards apply to drinking water?
- Answer: The lead levels set under the Clean Water Act (CWA) are 15 ppb, while the FDA standard for
bottled water is 5 ppb. These two instances are the only times lead is measured in ppb.
13. What were the historical reasons for the widespread use of lead?
1. What constitutes lead-based paint (LBP)?
- Answer: Lead-based paint is defined as any coating, including varnishes or shellacs, that contains lead
at levels of 1.0 mg/cm², 0.5% by weight, or 5000 ppm. Historical instruments were unable to accurately
measure lead concentrations starting at 0.7, leading to the current standard of 1.0.
2. What are the dust sample clearance values for different surfaces?
- Answer:
- Floors: 40 μg/ft² (greater than 10 μg/ft², with New York specifying 10 μg/ft²)
- Windows: 250 μg/ft² (greater than 100 μg/ft², 50 μg/ft² in New York)
- Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft² (greater than 100 μg/ft² in New York)
- Samples must cover an area of at least 1 ft² (which may be reduced to 1 ft² if within 10 μg).
3. What are the EPA regulations regarding lead levels in soil?
- Answer: The EPA has set the following soil lead limits:
- 400 ppm for playgrounds and children's areas
- 1200 ppm for the rest of the yard
- A minimum of 9 square feet of soil testing is required for proper evaluation
- At 5000 ppm, remediation is mandatory, which may include removal, replacement, paving, or
bioremediation.
4. What lab technique is commonly used for lead sampling?
- Answer: Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) is employed to analyze lead samples. In this method,
samples are vaporized in a furnace while light passes through, providing quantitative results.
5. How does XRF (X-ray fluorescence) technology function?
- Answer: XRF uses radioactive isotopes, specifically cobalt-57 and cadmium-109, to emit gamma rays
and detect X-rays through backscattering, aiming to analyze lead concentrations by evaluating
interactions that remove electrons via ionizing radiation.
, 6. What defines a lead-based paint hazard?
- Answer: A lead-based paint hazard is any condition that results in human exposure to lead.
7. What is involved in a lead inspection?
- Answer: A lead inspection entails a thorough surface-by-surface assessment to identify the presence
of lead.
8. What is the function of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) concerning lead?
- Answer: The CPSC established a lead paint standard that prohibits lead content greater than 0.06% by
weight, which was later updated to 0.009%. The commission banned the use of lead-based paint in
1978.
9. True or False: Dust samples are only collected for hazard assessments.
- Answer: True; only risk assessors collect samples to evaluate the likelihood of contamination
exposure.
10. What type of sampling is required for lead inspections?
- Answer: Random sampling must be conducted, and any repeats should be documented before
proceeding to the next location.
11. What guidelines does HUD provide for abatement?
- Answer: HUD guidelines dictate that abatement procedures must last at least 20 years and include
options such as removal, enclosure, replacement, and encapsulation. Merely painting over is deemed a
temporary solution.
12. What lead standards apply to drinking water?
- Answer: The lead levels set under the Clean Water Act (CWA) are 15 ppb, while the FDA standard for
bottled water is 5 ppb. These two instances are the only times lead is measured in ppb.
13. What were the historical reasons for the widespread use of lead?
