Lead us a metal that has been mined for thousands of years. In the past, it was used to make common items found in or near homes. These items include paint, gasoline, water pipes, and food cans.
Lead In Paint
Manufacturers used to put lead pigments in paint because the pigments make the paint last longer and cling to surfaces better. But problems can occur later. Paint that is disturbed or that is breaking down with age can contaminate dust.
Lead-based paint is no longer used in homes, on children’s toys, or on household furniture. In 1978, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned its sale for use in residences. That same year the CPSC also made it illegal to paint children’s toys and household furniture with lead-based paint.
Lead In Gasoline
Oil companies used to add lead to gasoline to stop engine knocking in automobiles, but dangerous lead particles escaped into the air through auto exhaust systems. In 1978, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduced the amount of lead allowed in gasoline.
Common Lead Hazards
The most common household lead hazards are lead-based paint, lead dust, and contaminated soil:
Lead-based paint is a hazard if it is peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking. Even lead-based paint that appears to be undisturbed can be a problem if it is on surfaces that children 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.
Even surfaces that have been covered with new paint or another covering can expose older lead-based paint layers when they become cracked or chipped. The older your home is, the more likely it is to contain lead-based paint.
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Dust can become contaminated with lead when lead-based paint is dry scraped or sanded. Dust can also become contaminated when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can gather on surfaces and objects that people touch or that children put in their mouths.
- Soil can become contaminated when exterior lead-based paint from houses, buildings, or other structures flakes or peels and gets into the soil. Soil near roadways may also be contaminated from past use of leaded gasoline in cars. Avoid these areas when planting vegetable gardens.
We Handle Your Lead Abatement Needs
Disaster Kleenup Specialists is an EPA Lead Safe Certified firm, and our licensed technicians will help you to safely remove lead from your property according to California State laws.
Please call us today at (800) 427-1769 for all of your lead abatement needs.
