EPA Provides Heads Up on Planned New Lead Rules.

"August 26, 2009 - EPA intends to strengthen requirements it issued in 2008 to protect children from lead-based paint poisoning associated with renovation and repair activities in homes and schools. EPA will propose to expand lead-safe work practices and other protective requirements for renovation and painting work involving lead paint to cover most pre-1978 housing, and after certain renovation, repair, and painting preparation activities are performed to require renovation firms to perform quantitative dust testing to achieve dust-lead levels that comply with EPA's regulatory standards. Renovations on the exteriors of public and commercial buildings will also be proposed to be covered and EPA will evaluate whether renovations in the interior of these buildings create lead-based paint hazards.

EPA will undertake three separate rulemakings to expand coverage and strengthen requirements of the 2008 RRP rule, which will take full effect on April 22, 2010. These rulemakings will be available for public comment. The agreement was part of a settlement of litigation by the Sierra Club, the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, and other public interest petitioners over the April 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, issued under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address lead-based paint hazards created by common renovation activities in homes, child care centers, and schools built before 1978.

These proposed amendments to the 2008 RRP rule would result in reduced exposures to lead-based paint hazards for young children, the most sensitive population, as well as for older children and adults. Read EPA's press release."

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.