EPA is currently conducting two activities on dust lead testing. First, the Agency is expected to issue a final regulation that is likely to require clearance dust testing for certain high dust generating activities during housing renovation repair and painting activities. This may make the EPA requirements more similar to the HUD requirements, which have been in place for federally assisted housing since 2001. However, the details will not be known until the final rule is actually issued. The existing EPA requirements for RRP rely on a “cleaning verification” method, which many have suggested is without scientific foundation and which may not adequately protect children, because the actual level of lead dust remaining following cleaning is not measured. The new EPA rule may change that.
Second, the Agency is also conducting a scientific evaluation of the relationship between dust lead and blood lead levels to determine if the existing dust lead standard should be modified. The existing standard was promulgated in 2001. The review is being carried out by the EPA Science Advisory Board, with a report from that group expected sometime this summer. The report will examine both housing and public and commercial buildings.
Letter From Occupational Knowledge International:
June 3, 2013
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe but lead paint is still being used around the world in homes, schools, and even for consumer products. In fact, it is commonly available in every paint store in Asia and Africa where the industry is experiencing its most rapid growth.
As someone who has seen the public health impact of lead paint in the U.S., this is sobering news. But that is why I am reaching out to ask for your help.
In addition to my role in LEHA, I am also on the Board of Directors of Occupational Knowledge International (OK International), an organization that has been at the forefront of exposing the extent of this problem around the world. They helped initiate the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead in Paint run by UNEP and the World Health Organization and sit on its executive steering committee.
OK International has proven that a small organization can be successful at bringing significant attention to important global public health issues that have been largely ignored. For example, see the attached editorial that they recently published in New Scientist Magazine.
Currently the organization is working in eight countries in Asia and Africa on programs to raise awareness, test paints, develop national regulations, and to encourage both small and large paint companies to reformulate.
But despite our success, we need to double our efforts to limit the production of lead paint in dozens of countries with rapidly expanding paint industries. And we need to stop this public health menace before another generation of children is poisoned!
That is why I am contacting you to seek your support for our programs that are making a difference on the ground in protecting children from the well-known hazards of lead paint. We need your financial support to help us to continue to make an impact and help our project partners around the world.
Please send OK International a donation or go to the link on our web site at (www.okinternational.org) to make a tax-deductible contribution.
Regards
David Jacobs
P.S. – Your donation will help us improve the lives of children around the world!
FOR LABORATORIES USE THIS:
P.S. – As a laboratory, you can also help by donating the analysis of paint samples to OK International to help our partner organizations conducted testing in their home countries. If you can help by donating these services, please contact me or send an email to info[at]okinternational.org
