Lead-Based Paint

Lead-based paints have disappeared from consumer sales for residential use because of toxicity concerns. However, there are huge quantities of lead-based paint on the surfaces of homes built before 1978. Paint containing lead may still be encountered for certain industrial painting requirements. Usually in cases where metal needs superior corrosion protection and may be subject to abuse a lead-based paint may be considered. White lead (basic lead carbonate) is a superior paint pigment---has a high affinity for paint vehicles and a tremendous hiding power. However, it has been widely replaced by Titanium oxide and Barium-Zinc-Sulfur combinations. For color, lead pigments such as red lead (a lead oxide with 4 oxygens and bright orange in color), and blue lead (lead sulfate with lead oxide, zinc oxide, and carbon) may be used industrially where corrosion protection and color on metal is needed. Lead chromates are often used to produce yellow, orange, red, and green paints. Litharge (a/k/a massicot, a/k/a lead monoxide) is a lead yellow pigment often used in glass or earthenware. Lead may be encountered in various glasses and glazes that may turn up in restoration projects. Lead flake still finds use as an exterior primer and lead oleate may be encountered as a drier in paints.

As of December 6, 1996 federal law requires the disclosure of any known lead hazard in a home up for sale or lease. There are only a few exceptions. Sellers and landlords must issue a written notice about the known condition of their properties if they were built before 1978. There is no requirement to test for lead or remove lead, but the 1992 Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act requires certain forms be filled out and notifications given. Regardless of the knowledge the seller or landlord has about lead paints used in the house, written notification of the possibility and hazard must be given (unless it has been proven there is no lead-based paint in the dwelling). It is a proactive requirement, it is not possible to comply by taking no action.
 
 

The most effective step to take around the home is a simple matter of exercising parental responsibility and teaching. Don't allow children to eat or taste paint chips, dirt, dust, floor grime, etc. Do this and you have eliminated the Number One source of lead poisioning. Take basic precautions concerning food preparation, storage, and consumption. With these add other "basics" such as washing face and hands often, especially before meals and naps. Wash children's toys, too.

Don't use water from the "hot" water tap for drinking or cooking. Let water from the "cold" tap run for a minute before collecting it for drinking if the tap hasn't been used in the past several hours. Better still, consider using distilled and/or water from an in-house treatment/filter system for all drinking and cooking applications.

Good housekeeping basics: Wet-clean floors, window sills, and window frames often. A good soap for picking up lead is one with phosphates because phosphates will bind with the lead. (Many dishwashing detergents still have phosphates).

Vacuum with a HEPA cleaner or the closest to it you can afford to buy. Consider using a building air cleaner with a HEPA filtering system.

When removing old paint or other construction and clean-up work, practice good housekeeping. (See advice below).

          When removing lead-based paint a number of precautions are advised:

Children and pregnant women should be out of the building until clean-up is complete.

A properly fitting HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate) air respirator should be worn while working.

Clean-up must be with a HEPA vacuum. Contents of the vacuum will be hazardous waste.

Wear protective clothing and seal off the work area with 6-millimeter plastic


Consider having a professional lead paint removal company do the job even though the cost of the project will greatly increase.
There are basically two ways lead based paint debris from paint removal operations is disposed of. It is commonly left at the job site for the property owner to dispose of (usually going out in the trash).

Then, there is the right way. The paint debris, scrap, flake, dust, etc. is carefully gathered into a container and the container set aside for hazardous waste disposal. Contents of HEPA vacuum cleaners are carefully removed and placed in the same secure, covered, container. Label the container as "Lead Contaminated - Poison." Often such containers are stored until a drum full of material has been collected---this provides for the most economical method of disposal. Don't use an ordinary vacuum cleaner to gather up the lead-based paint debris as much of the dust will go in, and come right back out of the cleaner. When working a job site and disposing of the lead paint waste in the right way be sure the property owner knows of the extra care and attention that has been given to this matter. This type of environmental responsibility is appreciated by many and is another indication of a responsible contractor.

Make no mistake about it. Debris containing old lead containing paint is a hazardous waste and disposal by any means except through a government permitted treatment/disposal facility is illegal. Painting contractors should be sure to maintain the manifest copies showing the proper disposal of this, and all other kinds of hazardous paint waste. Allegheny Environmental Services can help. The lead containing material can be transported to a fully permitted facility and all regulatory paperwork prepared including full manifesting according to EPA and DOT regulations. For a quotation, just describe the paint waste as, "lead-containing paint debris" and enter on a Fast FAX Form and send to Allegheny.
 
 

Lead is a poison in any form. It is one of the "heavy metals" and, if a waste, must always be managed as a hazardous waste. Contamination of as little as 5-parts-per-million makes a waste "hazardous for lead" according to government definitions.

Lead is used in many batteries (the lead-acid vehicle battery the most common example), in ammunition, pipes and various metal products, solder and various electrical equipment, for radiation shielding,and ammunition. Lead compounds are found in paints, certain types of glass and ceramics, as rodenticides, and as a reagent or container in many chemical manufacturing processes. Up until 1991 one of its most important uses was as an anti-knock additive in gasoline. It is a very heavy, bluish-grey metal, with a high resistance to most acids.

Lead one of the more hazardous poisons because it is cumulative. Children are especially sensitive to lead and can be poisoned with small amounts resulting in impaired mental development long before doses reach levels causing illness or death. In addition to brain associated effects, lead poisoning can effect the kidneys, blood, gastrointestinal tract, male reproductive organs, and central nervous system. Common lead compounds which are especially dangerous because of their high solubility in water are lead acetate and lead nitrate.

There are a number of lead-test kits available to the public for testing surfaces and testing of paint debris is a service available from numerous testing labs in most major cities. There are also medical tests available to determine the amount of lead in the blood. Levels below about 10 micrograms are not of concern and everyone will show some lead with low-level detection possible with today's equipment. Levels of 20 micrograms and above raise a flag and at lead levels in the high 40s, treatment is usually advised (a chelating agent, usually inserted with a needle, will bind the lead in the blood and eventually be excreted). Levels above 70 micrograms will usually require hospitalization of a child and when the lead level exceeds 80 micrograms convulsions, coma, and even death are possible.

Lead-based paints become a problem when the paint or paint dust flakes and falls off in a living area. Houses with lead-based paint intact are not particular hazards as long as the presence of lead is known to the family and children are not permitted to scrape away the paint coatings. A greater danger can arise should the old paint have to be removed during remodeling and surface preparation for new painting. Dust and debris from lead-based paint is a hazardous waste.