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Lead
Lead In Commerical, Residential and Educational Buildings

Lead In Commerical, Residential and Educational Buildings What lead is Sources of lead Health problems associated with lead Decreasing exposure to lead Determing if there a high level of lead in homes What to do if you have lead paint in a home What to ask a contractor More information about lead What Lead Is Lead is a naturally occurring heavy, soft gray metal. It has wide industrial use due to its properties of high density, softness, low melting point, resistance to corrosion and ability to stop gamma and x-rays. It was once widely used in gasoline, paint, and plumbing fixtures. Although lead paint for walls and lead solder for pipes have been banned, older homes are likely to contain lead. As lead paint ages, it can chip or crumble into dust. Exposure to lead paint dust or chips can cause serious health problems, especially for children and pregnant women. Lead has long been recognized as a harmful environmental pollutant. In late 1991, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services called lead the "number one environmental threat to the health of children in the United States." According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an estimated three to four million children in the U.S. under age six have blood lead levels that could cause impaired development, and an additional 400,000 fetuses are at similar risk. Lead dust that is inhaled poses an additional danger, as it is almost completely absorbed into the lungs. In children, a blood lead level of 10 µg/dL (micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood) is the level above which some action should be taken. Despite falling average blood lead levels in the U.S., lead exposure continues to be a problem among children in low-income families. That is because many inner city buildings and low-income housing units contain deteriorating lead-based paint. These buildings also often contain lead in the drinking water from pipes and fixtures, and lead in soils. In 1992 an act was passed (the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992) that requires that all prospective buyers or tenants of housing built before 1978 be notified of the possible lead hazards. Sellers and landlords must disclose all known information about lead in the property, deliver the pamphlet (entitled "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home") to prospects, and give them 10 days to conduct a risk assessment at their own expense. For sellers, landlords, and agents, failure to disclose or to deliver the pamphlet carries civil and criminal penalties, including imprisonment and a fine. Sources of Lead There are many ways in which humans are exposed to lead: through the air, drinking water, food, contaminated soil, deteriorating paint, and dust. Potential sources of lead exposure include: Older homes: Homes are the biggest source of lead because of the possibility of lead-based paint or old pipes or solder which may contain lead. An estimated 57 million U.S. homes have at least some lead paint with older homes being at greatest risk. About 67% of the homes built before 1940 and ½ of the homes built from 1940 to 1960 contained lead-based paint. Paint before 1950 contained as much as 50% lead. The reason lead was added to paint was as a pigment and a drying agent in "alkyd" oil based paint. "Latex" water-based paints generally do not contain lead. Some homes built between 1960 and 1978 may also contain lead. In 1978, the Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) lowered the amount of lead allowable in consumer paint to a trace amount. Lead-based paint is particularly a hazard when found on surfaces that children can chew or that get a lot of wear-and-tear. These areas include: Windows and window sills Doors and door frames Stairs, railings, and banisters Porches and fences Though the old leaded paint may have been painted over with unleaded paint, the leaded paint can still surface years later after layers of non-lead paint have flaked away or have been stripped away in the course of restoration or renovation. In these circumstances, lead dust and fumes can get into the air that children, adults, and pets breathe. Lead poisoning most often happens when a child eats paint chips, sucks on lead-dusted hands and toys, or chews on lead-painted windowsills and stair rails. Some pets are also at risk since they are close to the ground and may eat old paint chips off the floor. Lead may also leach into drinking water from certain types of plumbing materials such as lead pipes, copper pipes with lead solder, and brass faucets. Lead is also more likely to get into the drinking water if the water is soft, corrosive, or acidic. Household items such as vinyl miniblinds, painted toys and household furniture made before 1978 may be painted with lead-based paint. Paint used in industrial, military, and marine settings. Leaded paint is still allowed in these settings. Contaminated soil: One of the biggest problems with contaminated soil is that it can be tracked in or can be blown in through open windows. In addition, young children may eat contaminated dirt or eat with contaminated hands. Most soil contamination is a result of leaded gasoline. Even though the use of leaded gasoline dropped 90 percent between 1978 and 1987, the high levels seen now in soil are thought to be due to past emissions. Currently airplanes are the main source of airborne lead emissions. In California alone, this amounts to 149 tons each year.¹ Leaded gasoline, however, is not the only source of lead contamination of soil. There can be industrial sources, such as lead smelters. Sometimes housing (typically low-income housing) is built on former industrial sites. That was the problem in the case of a lawsuit brought against the owners of an apartment complex in the Bay Area of California in May 2000. From 1909 to 1959, there had been a company at that site that sandblasted and painted railcars using lead-based paint. The apartment complex was built on the site in the early 1970s. Because of the lead contamination, the apartment complex has now been designated a Superfund site that will cost $5 million to clean up. Hobbies: Examples include making lead sinkers for fishing or casting bullets for shooting. Hazardous levels of atmospheric lead have also been found at indoor police and civilian firing ranges. Wicks on some candles: Recent research has shown that burning just one candle a week with a lead wick for 3-6 hours in a poorly ventilated room gives off enough lead to result in child lead levels above the 10 µg/dl limit considered to be safe.² Arts and crafts materials: Lead is not banned in these materials, but the CPSC requires its presence to be declared on the product label if it is present in toxic amounts. Significant quantities are found in many paints and glazes, stained glass, as well as in some solder. Lead-glazed pottery, porcelain, or lead crystal: These can contaminate food and liquids stored in them. In addition, some moonshine is made in leaded containers. Some folk medicines and cosmetics: "Greta" and "azarcon," both used to treat an upset stomach, contain lead. Leaded fuel for aircraft, off-road vehicles, marine vehicles, construction equipment, and farm equipment. Lead was originally added to prevent engine knocking. However when catalytic converters were added to personal automobiles, the lead was poisonous to the converter so leaded fuel could no longer be used. Woodburning stoves or fireplaces: The use of treated or painted wood in fireplaces or improperly vented wood stoves may release a variety of substances, including lead and other heavy metals, into the air. Home renovation: harmful exposures to lead are created by improperly removing lead-based paint from surfaces through dry scraping, sanding, or open-flame burning. Some jobs such as working in battery manufacturing, construction, demolition, plumbing, painting, or auto repair (primarily the repair and cleaning of automobile radiators). Family members of workers in the above occupations since workers may accidentally bring lead dust home on their clothing or shoes. Health Problems Associated With Lead Lead is highly toxic and exposure to it can be dangerous, especially for children who are 6 or younger. It is estimated that one out of every 11 children in the United States has dangerous levels of lead in the bloodstream. Lead affects practically all systems within the body and can get in the body in many ways to cause dangerous health problems. There are many factors that determine if one might become sick due to exposure to lead. These include: The concentration and length of exposure to lead Personal characteristics such as age, gender, weight, general health status. The reproductive organs of both men and women can be adversely affected by lead exposure. Fetuses, infants, and children are more vulnerable to lead exposure than adults because: Lead is more easily absorbed into growing bodies Children's brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Exposure to lead can result in: Damage to the brain and nervous system, such as: Lower IQ, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity) (in children) Peripheral nerve disorders, with muscle weakness Memory and concentration problems Reproductive problems (May result in decreased fertility in both men and women, such as decreased sperm count in men. It also affects the developing fetus in pregnant women) High blood pressure Digestive problems such as constipation, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting Muscle and joint pain Damage to the kidneys Anemia Lead accumulates in the body (especially in the bones) and some of its effects may be irreversible. A simple test can be performed to find out a person's blood-lead level. All at-risk children should be tested for lead at ages one and two. Children up to six years old should be tested if their doctors think they are at risk. In communities where the houses are old and deteriorating, take advantage of available screening programs offered by local health departments and have children checked regularly to see if they are suffering from lead poisoning. Because the early symptoms of lead poisoning are easy to confuse with other illnesses, it is difficult to diagnose lead poisoning without medical testing. Early symptoms may include persistent tiredness, irritability, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, reduced attention span, insomnia, and constipation. Failure to treat children in the early stages can cause long-term or permanent health damage. The current blood lead level that defines lead poisoning in children is 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter (µg/dl) of blood, because lead at that level has been thought to impair mental and physical development. High lead levels (lead levels at or above 80 micrograms per deciliter (80 µg/dl) of blood) can cause convulsions, coma, and even death. Decreasing Exposure to Lead First, you need to know if you are exposed to lead; and, if so, where you have exposure to lead. The most accurate way to determine if your home has lead-based paint is to hire a lead inspector to test the paint. Trained professionals have a range of methods they can use to check your home. These include: Visual inspection of paint condition and location Lab tests of paint samples Surface dust tests A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine Lead inspectors use XRF instruments to determine content of lead in paint immediately. Another way is to hire a risk assessor who will take samples from several locations in your home and have them analyzed at a lab for lead content. There are do-it-yourself kits available. However, the CPSC and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do not recommend any of these kits because they are not very accurate in determining the existence of lead paint. One home test kit uses sodium sulfide solution. This procedure requires you to place a drop of sodium sulfide solution on a paint chip. The paint chip slowly turns darker if lead is present. There are problems with this test, however. Other metals may cause false positive results, and resins in the paint may prevent the sulfide from causing the paint chip to change color. Thus, the presence of lead may not be correctly indicated. In addition, the darkening may be detected only on very light-colored paint. Dermining If Here Is High Levels of Lead in Homes The following is some guidance if high levels of lead are suspected in a home: Get your young children tested for lead, even if they seem healthy. Get your home checked for lead hazards . Keep play areas clean. If your child's bottle or pacifier falls on the floor, wash it before giving it back to your child. ? Wash toys, stuffed animals, and bedding regularly . Send children and pets to a relative's or neighbor's house if you plan to renovate your house. Infants, children, and pregnant women should not be in the home while renovations are under way. Exposure to lead dust is hazardous. If you are pregnant, take as much care to avoid exposing yourself to lead as you would for your child. Lead can pass through your body to your unborn baby and cause health problems. Do not let your children eat sand, dirt, or paint chips. Encourage your children to play in grassy areas of the yard or playground. Plant grass in areas where children play if possible. Make sure children remove and wipe their shoes and wash their hands whenever they come inside after playing outdoors. Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead from soil. Make sure everyone washes their hands before meals, naptime, and bedtime. Try to make sure your children eat a balanced diet with plenty of foods that contain iron and calcium. A child who gets enough of these minerals will absorb less lead. Foods rich in iron include eggs; lean red meat; spinach; and beans, peas, and other legumes. Dairy products such as low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt are also recommended for their high calcium content. Do not store food or liquid in lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery. If you reuse old plastic bags to store or carry food, keep the printing on the outside of the bag. Clean up paint chips immediately using duct tape to pick it up. Do not vacuum lead dust since regular vacuums can disperse dust particles back into the room. If the dust must be vacuumed, only a special high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum should be used. Mop floors and wipe window ledges and chewable surfaces such as cribs with a solution of powdered automatic dishwasher detergent in warm water every week. Do not use a multi-purpose cleaner since most will not remove lead in ordinary dust. Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas. Find out about lead in drinking water. Most well and city water does not usually contain lead. Water usually picks up lead inside the home from household plumbing that is made with lead materials. The only way to know if there is lead in drinking water is to have it tested. Contact the local health department or the water supplier to find out how to get the water tested. Use only water from the cold-water tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula and run tap until cold to the touch. Do not bring lead dust into the home. If you work in construction, demolition, painting, with batteries, in a radiator repair shop or lead factory, or your hobby involves lead, you may unknowingly bring lead into your home on your hands or clothes. You may also be tracking in lead from soil around your home. Change your clothes and shoes before coming home. If you have to bring those clothes home, wash them separately. Use well-ventilated areas for hobbies and house maintenance involving lead. Consider using "no-lead" solder. What to Do if You Have Lead Paint in Your Home First, leave it alone if it is in good condition. Lead paint in good condition is usually not a problem except in places where painted surfaces rub against each other and create dust (for example, opening a window). Do not remove lead paint yourself. Individuals have been poisoned by scraping or sanding lead paint because these activities generate large amounts of lead dust. If you have items where lead-based paint is a problem, you have several choices in addition to the prevention strategies mentioned earlier. You can: Have the painted item replaced. You can replace a door or other easily removed item if you can do it without creating lead dust. Items that are difficult to remove should be replaced by professionals who will control and contain lead dust. Cover the lead-based paint. You can spray the surface with a sealant or cover it with gypsum wallboard. However, painting over lead-based paint with non-lead paint is not a long-term solution. Even though the lead-based paint may be covered by non-lead paint, the lead-based paint may continue to loosen from the surface below and create lead dust. The new paint may also partially mix with the lead-based paint, and lead dust will be released when the new paint begins to deteriorate. Have the lead-based paint removed. Have specialized, licensed lead abatement contractors, trained in the safe removal or encapsulation of this pollutant, do this work. Remember, lead abatement is NOT a "Do-It-Yourself" activity! Careless removal can pose serious health risks. If you are having the lead removed, all occupants, especially children and pregnant women, should leave the building until all work is finished and cleanup is completed. Hiring a Contractor Ask contractors about their qualifications, experience removing lead-based paint, and plans to follow these guidelines: Keep children and other occupants (especially infants, pregnant women, and adults with high blood pressure) out of the work area until the job is completed Remove all food and eating utensils from the work area Remove all furniture, carpets, and drapes and seal the work area from the rest of the house Cover and seal the floor unless lead paint is to be removed from the floor Assure that workers wear respirators designed to avoid inhaling lead No eating, drinking, or smoking allowed in the work area Cover and seal all cabinets and food contact surfaces Do not allow work clothing in other areas of the house Properly dispose of clothing worn in the room after working or launder these clothes separately Clean up debris using special vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters and wet mop after vacuuming Dispose of lead-based paint waste and contaminated materials in accordance with state and local regulations More Information About Lead Contact the National Lead Information Center [www.epa.gov/lead/nlic.htm] (1-800-424-5323) for answers to specific questions, or its hotline (1-800-532-3394) for print materials, including an Environmental Protection Agency booklet entitled "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home." References Air Resources Board, California Environmental Protection Agency. News Release, April 24, 1997. Van Alphen M. Emission testing and inhalational exposure-based risk assessment for candles having Pb metal wick cores. The Science of the Total Environment. 1999;243-244:53-65.