Comments on: Lead Poisoning: Get the Facts about the Threat http://www.safetyathome.com UL tests, inspects and verifies so you can worry less. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:16:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Catherine Brooks http://www.safetyathome.com/environmental-safety/environmental-safety-articles/lead-poisoning-get-the-facts-about-the-threat/#comment-12821 Catherine Brooks Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:11:22 +0000 http://www.safetyathome.com/?page_id=120#comment-12821 EPA enacted the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) law this summer requiring all contractors disturbing lead paint to be certified by EPA to use LeadSafe Work Practices. Read www.epa.gov/rrp. Some paint removal methods that were commonly used by painting contractors in the past are now prohibited: 1) caustic methylene chloride, 2) open air dry scraping and sanding, and 3) high heat guns at 1000+ degrees which vaporize the lead. New soy-based and other "green" liquid removers are good if you don't have very thick paint and have small areas to strip. You can still sand as long as you use a special HEPA vacuum attachment to collect the lead dust. Low heat infrared eco-strip makes no lead fumes and little dust from the soft, clumping paint shavings. Any mechanical method you use make sure it is UL listed for safety. EPA enacted the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) law this summer requiring all contractors disturbing lead paint to be certified by EPA to use LeadSafe Work Practices. Read http://www.epa.gov/rrp. Some paint removal methods that were commonly used by painting contractors in the past are now prohibited: 1) caustic methylene chloride, 2) open air dry scraping and sanding, and 3) high heat guns at 1000+ degrees which vaporize the lead. New soy-based and other “green” liquid removers are good if you don’t have very thick paint and have small areas to strip. You can still sand as long as you use a special HEPA vacuum attachment to collect the lead dust. Low heat infrared eco-strip makes no lead fumes and little dust from the soft, clumping paint shavings. Any mechanical method you use make sure it is UL listed for safety.

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