EPA Lead Inspector questions and answers
2025\2026 A+ Grade
Lead-based paint (LBP)
- correct 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
- correct 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
- correct 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
- correct answer - AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and
vaporized ... light is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF
- correct 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
- correct answer ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection
- correct answer a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of lead
, CPSC
- correct 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
- correct 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?
- correct answer Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement
- correct answer Must last 20 years. Includes the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure -
Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead
- correct 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?
- correct answer - Durable - Colorful - Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do?
- correct 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?
- correct answer Presume lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed?
- correct answer Commercial purposes/boats
2025\2026 A+ Grade
Lead-based paint (LBP)
- correct 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
- correct 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
- correct 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
- correct answer - AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and
vaporized ... light is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF
- correct 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
- correct answer ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection
- correct answer a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of lead
, CPSC
- correct 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
- correct 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?
- correct answer Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement
- correct answer Must last 20 years. Includes the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure -
Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead
- correct 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?
- correct answer - Durable - Colorful - Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do?
- correct 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?
- correct answer Presume lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed?
- correct answer Commercial purposes/boats
