January 2001
EPA Issues New Standards for Lead
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) announced tough, new standards to identify dangerous levels of
lead in paint, dust and soil. These new, national standards are more
protective than previous EPA guidance and will, for the first time, provide
homeowners, school and playground administrators, childcare providers and
others with standards to protect children from hazards posed by lead,
including children in federally-owned housing.
Under these new standards, federal agencies, including Housing and Urban
Development, as well as state, local and tribal governments will have new
uniform benchmarks on which to base remedial actions taken to safeguard
children and the public from the dangers of lead. These standards will also
apply to other federal lead provisions, such as EPA's real estate disclosure
requirements presently in place for people selling or renting a home or
apartment. These hazard standards will also serve as general guidance for
other EPA programs engaged in toxic waste cleanups. In addition, these
standards will provide landlords, parents, and childcare providers with
specific levels on which to make informed decisions regarding lead found in
their homes, yards, or play areas.
"Lead poisoning continues to be one of the most serious environmental
threats to the children of this country," said EPA Administrator Carol
Browner. "These new standards provide important information to help all
Americans better protect our children from the threats from lead. Parents
who have their homes checked for lead, for example, will know if they need
to take action to lower levels."
Health problems from exposure to lead can include profound developmental and
neurological impairment in children. Lead poisoning has been linked to
mental retardation, poor academic performance and juvenile delinquency.
Nearly one million children in America today have dangerously elevated
levels of lead in their blood. Because of the potential dangers, any
exposure to deteriorated lead-based paint presents a hazard.
Under the new standards, lead is considered a hazard if there are greater
than: 40 micrograms of lead in dust per square foot on floors; 250
micrograms of lead in dust per square foot on interior window sills and 400
parts per million (ppm) of lead in bare soil in children's play areas or
1200 ppm average for bare soil in the rest of the yard.
Identifying lead hazards through these standards will allow inspectors and
risk assessors to assist property owners in deciding how to address problems
which may include lead paint abatement, covering or removing soil or
professional cleaning of lead dust.
Learn more about lead-based paint.
Or for more information, visit www.epa.gov/lead
or contact the National Lead Information Center at 800-424-LEAD (5323).
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