Last year, I reported that LeadCheck swabs would soon be approved by the EPA for lead testing on drywall (sheetrock), plaster and stucco (in addition to wood and metal).
Unfortunately, that has not yet happened. Below are the EPA-approved test kits for various materials. Note that the State of Massachusetts administers its own program.
From Bill Robinson and Train2Rebuild
EPA RRP Question — How much will it cost contractors to comply with the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule?
RRP Answer — From the EPA:
In order to comply with the RRP rule, renovators will incur costs for EPA certification and costs to take a training course from an EPA-accredited training provider, as well as for supplies needed in order to carry out the required lead-safe work practices designed to reduce exposure to lead dust from renovations.
Firm Certification and Training Costs: The rule requires renovation firms to become certified by EPA or an EPA-approved state RRP program in order to perform renovation, repair or painting activities for compensation in target housing or child-occupied facilities. EPA is required by law to charge firms a fee that covers the government’s cost of administering the program. Firm certification is valid for 5 years. The fee for most firms is $300, which is equivalent to a cost of $60 per year.
From Bill Robinson and Train2Rebuild
RRP Question — Is it a violation of the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) for a homeowner to hire a firm that is not certified?
RRP Answer — From the EPA:
The Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) does not impose requirements on homeowners, unless they are performing renovations in rental space. However, the hired firm would be in violation of the RRP Rule if it was uncertified and performing a covered renovation.
From Bill Robinson and Train2Build
Question: Does the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule apply where no paint at all is present, such as in a 100-year-old unfinished basement?
Answer: No.The RRP Rule applies to activities that result in the disturbance of painted surfaces.Where there is no paint to disturb, the RRP Rule does not apply.
Photo Source: Young House Love
Question: Under the RRP Rule, can the required records and documentation be stored electronically rather than as paper copies?
Answer: Yes. The renovation firm is responsible for retaining and making available to EPA all records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the RRP Rule for a period of 3 years following completion of the renovation. The RRP Rule does not specify the format in which records must be kept.
Question: I want to become a Certified Renovator. How do I find an EPA RRP class?
Answer: I have a few suggestions:
1. Do a Google search on: EPA RRP classes (your state). There's a bit of a cottage industry happening with firms and trainers offering classes, so all the information is not necessarily compiled all in one place. This will give you a wide-ranging set of options.
2. Check out the handy directory on the ZipWall website. You just enter your state and a list of providers comes up.
3. Go to the National Center for Healthy Housing and see the array of classes offered through them.
4. Send me an email and let's discuss some options. As an accredited RRP trainer, I've taught hundreds of contractors, business owners and others. I don't want to seem immodest, but I get rave reviews for my ability to make this somewhat dry information a lot more interesting. And when you hire me to provide your RRP training, you get an outrageous deal on my new DVD: On-the-Job Training: RRP Lead-Safe Practices.
Question: I hear so many rumors about the EPA's RRP Rule. Some say compliance will put me out of business. Some say compliance will cost thousands of dollars extra to replace one window. Where do I find out the facts?
Answer: That's a great question. Yes, you'll see a lot of rumors about the new lead-safe rule that are not based in fact. Your first line of defense against confusion will be to take an RRP class and become a Certified Renovator.
Of course, an 8-hour class cannot answer every single question or confusion that arises. To do your research, and not rely on third parties that may have motives other than educating you, I suggest you turn to the EPA's own Frequently Answered Questions.
This list of RRP FAQ was updated Aug. 23, 2010.
Here are some questions and answers from the list:
Question: I thought lead-based paint had been phased out. How many homes still contain lead-based paint?
Answer: HUD’s National Survey of lead and Allergens in Housing estimated that 38 million permanently occupied housing units (40% of all housing units) in the United States contain some lead-based paint that was applied before the residential use of lead-based paint was banned in 1978. “Housing units” include single-family homes, manufactured housing, and multi-unit dwellings like apartments. Vacant housing, group quarters (e.g., prisons, hospitals, and dormitories), hotels, motels, and other short-term housing, military bases, and housing where children are not permitted to live (e.g., housing designated exclusively for the elderly and those with zero-bedroom units) are not included in this number. More information on these statistics is available from HUD.
Question: When testing a work area, does one spot-test kit suffice for any single component? What if a component's surface area is extensive (i.e. a large wall)?
Answer: The certified renovator is only required to use one spot test kit for each component, even if the surface of the component is extensive (e.g., a large wall).
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