EPA Lead Inspector (2024 – 2025) 100 Questions With
Correct Verified Solution
Lead-based paint (LBP) - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized ... light is
shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
, EPA Lead Inspector (2024 – 2025) 100 Questions With
Correct Verified Solution
LBP inspection - ANSWER-a surface-by-surface investigation to
determine the presence of lead
CPSC - ANSWER-- 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 -
ANSWER-True; only risk assessors take samples to determine
likelihood of coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? - ANSWER-
Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement - ANSWER-Must last 20 years. Includes
the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure - Replacement -
Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - ANSWER-- 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? - ANSWER-- Durable - Colorful - Anti-
corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
, EPA Lead Inspector (2024 – 2025) 100 Questions With
Correct Verified Solution
What does RRP do? - ANSWER-- Renovation, Repairing, and Painting
program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ... $37,500 fines for
violation - Dust sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested? - ANSWER-Presume
lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed? - ANSWER-Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - ANSWER-Present -
Electrical batteries - Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline
additive (now in soil ... doesn't permeate quickly, so sample TOP
portions (12 in)) - Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - ANSWER-- For
children under 6, hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet
(pica is the term for consumption of non-food items) - For adults,
occupational exposure (take-home lead ... pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - ANSWER-- Chronic: low dose, long period
- Acute: high dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - ANSWER-- Chelation therapy -
Binding agents attach to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted -
Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead from minerals, so the therapy
causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45 μg/dL
Correct Verified Solution
Lead-based paint (LBP) - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized ... light is
shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
, EPA Lead Inspector (2024 – 2025) 100 Questions With
Correct Verified Solution
LBP inspection - ANSWER-a surface-by-surface investigation to
determine the presence of lead
CPSC - ANSWER-- 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 -
ANSWER-True; only risk assessors take samples to determine
likelihood of coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? - ANSWER-
Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
HUD Guidelines for abatement - ANSWER-Must last 20 years. Includes
the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure - Replacement -
Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - ANSWER-- 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? - ANSWER-- Durable - Colorful - Anti-
corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
, EPA Lead Inspector (2024 – 2025) 100 Questions With
Correct Verified Solution
What does RRP do? - ANSWER-- Renovation, Repairing, and Painting
program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ... $37,500 fines for
violation - Dust sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested? - ANSWER-Presume
lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed? - ANSWER-Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - ANSWER-Present -
Electrical batteries - Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline
additive (now in soil ... doesn't permeate quickly, so sample TOP
portions (12 in)) - Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - ANSWER-- For
children under 6, hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet
(pica is the term for consumption of non-food items) - For adults,
occupational exposure (take-home lead ... pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - ANSWER-- Chronic: low dose, long period
- Acute: high dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - ANSWER-- Chelation therapy -
Binding agents attach to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted -
Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead from minerals, so the therapy
causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45 μg/dL
