United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Prevention. Pesticides
and Toxic Substances
[Mail Code 7404]
EPA 747-F-98-002
June 1998
(http://www.epa.gov/lead)
a EPA FACT SHEET
Standards to Identify Dangerous Levels of Lead
While potentially harmful to individuals of all ages, lead exposure is especially harmful to children
under six years of age. Young children have rapidly developing nervous systems which are
particularly sensitive to the effects of lead. Children also tend to absorb lead more readily than adults.
Excessive childhood lead exposure causes, learning disabilities, lower intelligence, behavioral
problems, stunted growth, permanent hearing and visual impairment, and other damage to the brain
and nervous system. Lead hazards affect children in families of all income levels and in all regions
of the country. Children in poor inner-city communities, however, are disproportionately affected.
Lead-based Paint Hazards
Lead-based paint hazards arise from three
sources:
• Lead-based paint (in poor condition);
• Lead-contaminated dust; and
• Lead-contaminated soil.
Children are exposed to lead primarily by
ingesting lead-contaminated dust and soil
through normal hand-to-mouth activity. For
example, children may play with toys on a
dusty floor and then put their hands in their
mouths, or they may play in dirt outdoors and
then eat a snack without washing their hands.
Some children also may directly ingest
lead-based paint chips from flaking walls,
windows, and doors, or may chew surfaces
covered with lead-based paint. Over 80
percent of all housing built before 1978
contains some lead-based paint. If maintained
in good condition, lead-based paint is usually
not hazardous. Lead-based paint in poor
condition, however, can create health
hazards.
Dust may be contaminated by lead when
lead-based paint deteriorates; lead-based
paint is disturbed in the course of renovation,
repair, or abatement activity; or lead is tracked
into, or blown, or otherwise enters the home
from contaminated soil in the yard or other
external sources.
Soil may be contaminated with lead from
deterioration of exterior lead-based paint,
industrial emissions, and past use of leaded
gasoline. Contaminated soil may be ingested
directly or may contaminate dust when it
enters the home. Other sources of lead
exposure include lead-contaminatedfood and
drinking water and occupational exposure to
dust and airborne lead particles.
EPA recently proposed new standards to
identify dangerous levels of lead under the
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). See
63 Federal Register 30302, June 3, 1998.
The proposed standards apply to lead-based
paint hazards in target housing (most housing
built before 1978) and child-occupied facilities,
such as day-care centers. For more specific
information regarding the proposed standards,
please see the Fact Sheet entitled "Proposed
Page 1
-------
Rule on Identification of Lead-Based Paint
Hazards" (EPA 747-F-98-001).
Affected Entities
Many groups of people will be affected when
this proposed rule- is issued as a final
regulation.
• Lead-based paint professionalsengaged
in risk assessments and abatements.
• Firms providing training services in
lead-based paint activities that need to
incorporate the new standards into their
training courses.
• Property owners who must disclose
hazards, if known, prior to property sale or
rental under Section 1018.
• Property owners that receive Federal
housing program assistance, such as
State and city public housing authorities,
owners of multifamily rental properties that
receive project-based assistance, and
owners that lease units under HUD's
tenant-based assistance program.
• HUD and other Federal agencies that
own residential property will use the final
standards to identify hazards in pre-1960
housing before it is sold.
• General members of the public should be
aware of the final standards and the risks
associated with lead-based paint and lead-
contaminated dust and soil in order to
protect themselves and children.
How to Submit Comments
Comments on this proposed rule may be
submitted in written or electronic form. Each
comment must bear the docket control
number 62156. A public version of the official
record for this rule (docket control number
62156) is available for inspection from 12
noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays, in the TSCA
Nonconfidential Information Center, Room
NEB607,401 M Street, SW, Washington. DC.
Written comments. Written comments must
be received on or before September 1. 1998.
All comments should be sent in triplicate to:
OPPT Document Control Officer (7407),
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M
Street, SW, Room G099, East Tower,
Washington, DC 20460.
Electronic Comments. Comments and data
also may be submitted electronically to:
oppt.ncic@epamailepa.gov. No Confidential
Business Information (CBI) should be
submitted through e-mail. E-mailed
comments must avoid the use of special
characters and any form of encryption, and be
submitted in ASCII file format. Comments
and data will also be accepted on disks in
WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format.
Electronic comments on this proposed rule
may be filed online at many Federal
Depository Libraries.
Oral comments. If requested, the Agency
will hold public meetings to hear oral
comments. The Agency will announce in the
Federal Register the time and place of any
public meetings. Oral statements will be
scheduled on a first-come first-served basis
by calling the telephone number listed in the
Federal Register notice. All statements will be
made part of the public record and will be
considered in the development of the final
rule.
For More Information
For general information contact the National
Lead Information Center's Clearinghouse,
1-800-424-LEAD (5323). Information is also
available on EPA's website at http://www.
epa.gov/lead/. For specific technical and
policy questions regarding this rule, contact
Jonathan Jacobson at (202) 260-3779 or e-
mail at jacobson.jonathan@epamail.epa.gov.
Page 2
------- |