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EPA Seminars Explain How to Comply with New Lead-Based Paint Rules When Renovating

Release Date: 3/9/1999
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

       The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold four seminars to help affected parties comply with new rules designed to reduce the risk of exposure from lead-based paints during remodeling projects. Anyone involved in renovating or remodeling housing built before 1978 must comply with these pre-renovation rules which take effect June 1, 1999. Those working in residential real estate also are encouraged to attend one of these seminars.

        The first seminar is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Thursday, March 18, 1999. The dates of three more seminars in April, May and early June will be announced later. The seminars will be held at EPA Regional Headquarters, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, Texas. Participants must sign-in at the 7th floor reception area.

        Increased lead levels in blood have been associated with a variety of neurological disorders, particularly increased learning problems in young children. Because research showed that lead-based paints are a major source of human lead contamination, these paints were banned from residential use in 1978. Today about 75 percent of the nation's housing contains lead-based paint. Properly maintained, it poses little health risk to inhabitants.

        However, people have sometimes created a health hazard for their families without realizing it when they remodel or repaint their homes. For instance, sanding or scraping old lead-based paint in preparation for repainting releases lead into the air where family members can easily inhale it.

        These seminars will help building contractors, residential painters and carpenters, real estate firms, and others involved in the residential remodeling industry comply with new rules to protect families from lead exposure.

        For further information about these seminars, contact Valerie Berry with the EPA Region 6 Lead Program at (214) 665-8481. More information about rules governing lead-based paint is available on the Internet at https://www.epa.gov/lead. For specific information about lead-based paint hazards, call the National Lead Information Center at (800) 424-LEAD.