Lead
Lead is a highly toxic metal found in products including paint, ceramics, pipes, solders, gasoline, batteries and cosmetics. Since 1980, federal and state regulatory standards have helped to minimize or eliminate the amount of lead in consumer products and occupational settings.
Today, the most common sources of lead exposure in the United States are lead-based paint in older homes, old piping, contaminated soil, household dust, drinking water, lead crystal, and lead-glazed pottery. Lead-based paint can begin to flake and peel as it ages, and can become airborne, or ingested and lead to serious health problems. RDS Environmental is a certified professional in lead testing and removal.
Health Effects related to Lead Poisoning
Lead poisoning is a serious, yet preventable, condition particularly damaging to young children. Lead poisoning can affect a child’s brain, kidneys, bone marrow and other body systems even at low blood lead levels. While extreme lead exposure can cause a variety of neurological disorders such as lack of muscular coordination, convulsions and coma, much lower lead levels have been associated with hyperactivity; deficits in fine motor function, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time; and lowered performance on intelligence tests.
Chronic lead exposure in adults can result in increased blood pressure, decreased fertility, cataracts, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, and memory or concentration problems.
On April 22, 2008, the EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe work practices aimed at preventing lead poisoning in children. On April 22, 2010, the rule became effective and firms performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified. Individual renovators must be trained by an EPA-accredited training provider, and the firms and renovators must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
Lead Testing
The ONLY way to determine if your paint or other building materials contain toxic lead, is to have it tested. Through our simple testing procedures conducted by certified inspectors and analyzed in certified laboratories we will deliver a detailed report of our findings and what we recommend as further action. Call us at 303.444.5253 to get more details about scheduling a test for your home or office.
You should have your home tested if you fall under any of the following criteria:
- If suspected lead-painted surfaces are disturbed or a going to be disturbed as a part of a home remodel or upgrade.
- Before any renovations, remodels or material disturbance to the home on property built before 1978.
- Before any demolition work on property built before 1978.
- If you live in a house or apartment building built before 1978.
- If you are buying, selling or renting a premise built before 1978.
How RDS Will Help
- RDS will conduct a site survey to identify potential lead hazards, and recommend if testing is necessary to determine lead contaminants.
- RDS can conduct dust, water, bulking and soil sampling to determine if lead is present.
- RDS will provide a comprehensive report outlining our findings.
- Determine if there is a health concern and if professional remediation is warranted.