Lead Overview
All buildings
constructed prior to 1978 has the potential to contain
lead-based paint. Of the 64 million dwellings in the U.S.
that contain lead-based paint, 3 million are in Illinois and
one million are located in the Chicago area. Chicago has
among the highest lead poisoning rates in the nation with
over 55,000 children identified between 1997 – 2000.
If you suspect your building
contains lead-based paint, have the area inspected by a
licensed building inspector – especially if there are young
children or pregnant women present.
Health
Effects
Lead exposure can cause a variety of health complications.
The major pathways of lead into the body are ingestion &
inhalation. Lead is especially toxic for children under the
age of six and pregnant women, due to a higher lead
absorption rate. Lead dust is especially dangerous for
children, who can expose themselves to high amounts of lead
through normal hand-to-mouth activities.
An estimated 1.7
million children have blood-lead levels above safe limits
set forth by the EPA.
The following are common
health effects associated with exposure to lead:
-
Learning Disabilities
-
Impaired Growth
-
Hearing Loss
-
IQ Decline
-
Stomach Aches
-
Mental Retardation
Where is
Lead Found?
Lead is primarily found in the exterior and interior paint
of the building. Lead was added to paint for three main
reasons: Color Enhancement, Increased Durability & as a
Drying Agent. Lead-based paint is typically found in window
systems, bathrooms, door jambs, soffits, chair rails and
doors.
Lead in Water – Paint is not the only place you’ll
find lead. Lead can also be found in drinking water,
primarily through leaded solder, brass fittings/fixtures and
primary service lines. If the building was constructed
before 1978 and the original water piping is still present,
it is recommended to have your water supply tested for
concentrations of lead.
Lead in Soil – The soil surrounding a building can
also contain lead. Leaded gasoline (deposited prior to
phase-down in use), factory emissions, weathering and
chipping of lead-based paint on the exterior of the
building, and dust/dirt carried over from a construction
site can all contribute to lead concentrations in the soil.
This can become a health issue if there are children playing
around the building, or you plan on performing landscaping.
Our Lead Services
Lead Risk Assessment – A licensed risk assessor will
conduct a thorough inspection of the property to determine
any lead hazards. Appropriate sampling may include dust
wipes, soil sampling and water sampling.
Abatement Clearance Inspection – A licensed inspector
will visually inspect and collect dust wipe samples within
the area where abatement occurred.
Project Management/Air Monitoring – Generally
performed during lead abatement activities or along the
perimeter of the work area – used to determine exposure
levels of lead in air.
On-Site
Lead Risk Assessments
ERT, Inc. obtains a combination of paint chip (deteriorated
painted surfaces only), dust wipes, and soil samples to
determine the existence, nature, severity, and location of
lead hazards interrelated with the residence or structure.
These samples are submitted to an accredited laboratory for
analysis and characterization service using A.A.S. to
determine lead concentrations.
Lead-based Paint Management and Remediation Consulting
ERT, Inc. lead-based paint consultants are also certified as
project designers and in project site surveillance. ERT,
Inc. can provide comprehensive services including Lead
abatement Plans which assist in prioritizing the lead based
paint to be abated, estimating the cost of abatement
(including material replacement), develop project drawings,
blueprints, and bid documents for contractor selection,
establishing a project schedule, and recommending practical
alternative solutions.
During the abatement phase, experienced site technicians and
consultants can monitor abatement activities including
personnel monitoring, ensure compliance with federal, state
and local regulations, as well as the requirements of
project specifications. Waste disposal consultation is
offered to advise clients of alternative disposal methods
and measures that may reduce the volume of lead that must be
disposed of as hazardous waste.
After completion of a remediation project, consulting staff
can prepare a comprehensive record of the project, including
notifications to regulatory agencies, waste disposal
manifests, medical monitoring and training records of
contractor's employees, records of air and wipe sample
analysis, status of any remaining lead and recommendations
to prevent future contamination.
AD Counsil PSAs
Lead Video Links
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
|
 |
Services:
Lead Paint
North Bay Office
1990 N. California Blvd., 8th Floor
Walnut Creek, California 94596
(800) 660-1808 Toll Free
(925) 937-0700 Phone
South Bay Office
6472 Camden Ave., Ste. 102B
San Jose, California 95120
(800) 660-1808 Toll Free
(408) 866-4141 Phone
"I am
writing you with regard to the professional integrity of ERT.
I have found it necessary to recommend ERT to several of our
local clientele for third party environmental consulting and
testing. ERT not only performed their job in an extremely
professional manner, but also provided my clients with
enlightening, relevant solutions to their environmental
issues. I have become very comfortable referring individuals
to ERT based upon their impeccable reputation. On several
occasions I also relied on ERT for regulatory references on
issues I would be discussing with other clients. In some
instances ERT was able to cite specific regulations and
could at the very least provide me with a "map" of where to
find more complete answers to my questions. I have worked
with many environmental consulting firms in the past, and in
my opinion ERT is by far the best!"
Clarence
McCurdy
QAC, Inc.
"We were
incredibly pleased with the thoroughness of the lead risk
assessment provided by ERT, Inc. They found numerous lead
hazards associated with the house that would not have been
discovered by the average home inspector. Their findings
unearthed potentially unsafe and unhealthy conditions – a
literal money pit! Most importantly the health and wellbeing
of my family will not be sacrificed. Thank You!"
Thomas &
Josephine Santoro
South San Francisco, CA
|
