EPA LEAD INSPECTOR COMPREHENSIVE
ASSESSMENT 2026 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
◉ 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)
◉ 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
◉ 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 ... $37,500 fines for violation - Dust
sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
◉ What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested?
Answer: Presume lead-based paint.
ASSESSMENT 2026 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
◉ 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)
◉ 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
◉ 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 ... $37,500 fines for violation - Dust
sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
◉ What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested?
Answer: Presume lead-based paint.
