EPA LEAD INSPECTOR QUESTIONS & 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)
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.
Where is LBP still allowed? - Answer -Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - Answer -Present - Electrical batteries -
Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline additive (now in soil ... doesn't
permeate quickly, so sample TOP portions (12 in)) - Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - Answer -- For children under 6,
hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet (pica is the term for
consumption of non-food items) - For adults, occupational exposure (take-home lead ...
pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - Answer -- Chronic: low dose, long period - Acute: high
dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - Answer -- Chelation therapy - Binding agents attach
to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted - Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead
from minerals, so the therapy causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45
μg/dL
Where does lead contamination in water come from? - Answer -Solder, brass fittings
and fixtures, and service lines
How much lead is present in homes? - Answer -- 87% of homes pre-1940 - 69% of
homes pre-1960 - 24% of homes pre-1978
Who is responsible for investigating lead poisoning? - Answer -- Departments of Health
(DOH) - They can mandate abatement
T/F: Poor diet can exacerbate lead absorption - Answer -True. You want high calcium,
iron, and Vitamin C.
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)
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.
Where is LBP still allowed? - Answer -Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - Answer -Present - Electrical batteries -
Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline additive (now in soil ... doesn't
permeate quickly, so sample TOP portions (12 in)) - Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - Answer -- For children under 6,
hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet (pica is the term for
consumption of non-food items) - For adults, occupational exposure (take-home lead ...
pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - Answer -- Chronic: low dose, long period - Acute: high
dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - Answer -- Chelation therapy - Binding agents attach
to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted - Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead
from minerals, so the therapy causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45
μg/dL
Where does lead contamination in water come from? - Answer -Solder, brass fittings
and fixtures, and service lines
How much lead is present in homes? - Answer -- 87% of homes pre-1940 - 69% of
homes pre-1960 - 24% of homes pre-1978
Who is responsible for investigating lead poisoning? - Answer -- Departments of Health
(DOH) - They can mandate abatement
T/F: Poor diet can exacerbate lead absorption - Answer -True. You want high calcium,
iron, and Vitamin C.
