1|Page
EPA Lead Inspector Questions and
Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Lead-based paint (LBP)
Ans: Any varnish, shallac, or coating that contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 -
0.5 % by weight - 5000 ppm - Older instruments could not read accurately
at 0.7, so the lead standard was updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values
Ans: - Floors: 40 μg/ft2 > 10 μg/ft2 (10 μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2
> 100 μg/ft2 (50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100
μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft > 2 sq ft (can be reduced to 1 sq
ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations
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Ans: - 400 ppm for playgrounds/children's areas - 1200 ppm for rest of
yard - There must be 9 sq ft of soil to classify with soil testing - At 5000 ppm,
MUST remediate/abate (remove & replace, paving, or bioremediation)
Lab sampling technique
Ans: - AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a
furnace and vaporized ... light is shone through to give a quantitative
result
XRF
Ans: - X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive isotopes (unstable material
trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57 (half-life of 9 months) and cadmium-
109 (half-life of 15 months) are the two sources (where radiation
originates) - Emits gamma rays but will read X-rays (backscatters) - Ionizing
radiation from the removal of electrons due to interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard
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Ans: ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection
Ans: a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of
lead
CPSC
Ans: - Consumer Product Safety Commission - Set a lead paint standard:
cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight ... updated to 0.009% - The
commission banned lead-based paint in 1978
True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments
Ans: True; only risk assessors take samples to determine likelihood of
coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections?
, 4|Page
Ans: Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the
next
HUD Guidelines for abatement
Ans: Must last 20 years. Includes the following procedures: - Removal -
Enclosure - Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead
Ans: - 15 ppb under the Clean Water Act (CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA
standard (bottled water) *These are the ONLY instances where ppb is
used
Why was lead used so much?
Ans: - Durable - Colorful - Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do?
EPA Lead Inspector Questions and
Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Lead-based paint (LBP)
Ans: Any varnish, shallac, or coating that contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 -
0.5 % by weight - 5000 ppm - Older instruments could not read accurately
at 0.7, so the lead standard was updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values
Ans: - Floors: 40 μg/ft2 > 10 μg/ft2 (10 μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2
> 100 μg/ft2 (50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100
μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft > 2 sq ft (can be reduced to 1 sq
ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations
,2|Page
Ans: - 400 ppm for playgrounds/children's areas - 1200 ppm for rest of
yard - There must be 9 sq ft of soil to classify with soil testing - At 5000 ppm,
MUST remediate/abate (remove & replace, paving, or bioremediation)
Lab sampling technique
Ans: - AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a
furnace and vaporized ... light is shone through to give a quantitative
result
XRF
Ans: - X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive isotopes (unstable material
trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57 (half-life of 9 months) and cadmium-
109 (half-life of 15 months) are the two sources (where radiation
originates) - Emits gamma rays but will read X-rays (backscatters) - Ionizing
radiation from the removal of electrons due to interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard
,3|Page
Ans: ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection
Ans: a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of
lead
CPSC
Ans: - Consumer Product Safety Commission - Set a lead paint standard:
cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight ... updated to 0.009% - The
commission banned lead-based paint in 1978
True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments
Ans: True; only risk assessors take samples to determine likelihood of
coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections?
, 4|Page
Ans: Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the
next
HUD Guidelines for abatement
Ans: Must last 20 years. Includes the following procedures: - Removal -
Enclosure - Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead
Ans: - 15 ppb under the Clean Water Act (CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA
standard (bottled water) *These are the ONLY instances where ppb is
used
Why was lead used so much?
Ans: - Durable - Colorful - Anti-corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do?
