Newsroom

2024

• December 2024:  EPA announced that it will not initiate a proposed rulemaking addressing the manufacture, processing, or distribution in commerce of lead for wheel-balancing weights (“lead wheel weights”) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), after reviewing the information submitted in response to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) issued in April 2024, and EPA’s technical analysis thereof. EPA’s analysis shows that risks to children from lead wheel weights are significantly lower than described in the petition EPA received on this issue in 2009 claimed. Specifically, EPA estimates that dust from lead wheel weights represents an extremely small fraction of a child’s overall residential lead exposure, even if the residence is near busy roads. EPA also found that since the petition was filed, nine U.S. states and Canada have banned lead wheel weights, and EPA was informed that vehicle manufacturers no longer install lead wheel weights on new vehicles sold in the U.S.   
• October 24, 2024 - EPA finalized a rule to strengthen the dust-lead reportable levels and the dust-lead action levels (previously referred to as the dust-lead hazard standards and the dust-lead clearance levels). The final rule reduces the level of lead in dust that EPA considers hazardous to any reportable level measured by an EPA-recognized laboratory. The rule also lowers the amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors, window sills and window troughs after a lead paint abatement occurs to the lowest levels that can be reliably and quickly measured in laboratories: from 10 micrograms (µg) per square foot (ft²) for floors, 100 µg/ft² for window sills, and 400 µg/ft² for window troughs to the dust-lead action levels of 5 µg/ft² for floors, 40 µg/ft² for window sills and 5 µg/ft² for troughs.  This will result in significant reductions in exposures when compared to prior standards. Read the press release.
• August 8, 2024 – EPA announced the availability of “Renovate Lead-Safe” fact sheets and webpages for do-it-yourselfers in 12 additional languages. These resources are aimed at increasing awareness of lead-safe work practices and prevent lead exposure when homeowners perform renovation, repair and painting (RRP) projects on their pre-1978 homes. The English versions of these resources were published in 2022 with the Renovate Lead-Safe Media Kit.  
• March 27, 2024 - EPA released an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) asking the public for information on the potential ways in which people might be exposed to lead through the use of wheel weights. EPA is asking interested parties to submit scientific studies about how lead wheel weights are used, the possible ways in which people could be exposed to lead, and information about alternatives to lead wheel weights, among other topics. This information will help EPA determine if the use of lead wheel weights poses unreasonable risk to human health and the environment. If unreasonable risk is found, EPA will initiate a proposed rulemaking under TSCA to address the unreasonable risk. Read the listserv.
• Read the advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

2023

• August 1, 2023 - EPA proposed to lower the dust-lead hazard standards from 10µg/ft² for floors and 100 µg/ft² for window sills to any reportable level greater than zero, as analyzed by any laboratory recognized by EPA’s National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program. EPA also proposed to strengthen the dust-lead clearance levels from 10 micrograms µg/ft² of lead in dust to 3 µg/ft² for floor dust, from 100 µg/ft² to 20 µg/ft² for window sill dust, and 400 µg/ft² to 25 µg/ft² for window troughs. This action is consistent with EPA’s commitment to reduce childhood lead exposure and supports the efforts under the Agency’s Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities. 

• Read the press release.

• Read the Federal Register notice for more information at Regulations.gov (EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0231).

2022

• January 21, 2022 - EPA announced it will proceed on March 21, 2022 to withdraw previously published answers to two Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concerning property management companies and their compliance responsibility under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Lead Renovation Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. On November 4, 2021, EPA published a notice in the Federal Register explaining the rationale for the withdrawal and requested public comment to identify any relevant information that could change the EPA’s decision to withdraw the two FAQs. The Notice explained that, following the comment period and the Agency’s consideration of comments received by that date, the EPA intended to post a memorandum that states whether the withdrawal will take effect as planned.

• Read the memorandum confirming that EPA will proceed to withdraw the FAQs: OECA-22-000-1701 (pdf) (120.83 KB)  

• Read the press release.

• Read the Federal Register notice for more information at Regulations.gov (EPA-EPA-HQ-OECA-2021-0763). 

2021

• November 4, 2021 – EPA announced its intent to improve compliance and strengthen enforcement of the lead-based paint RRP Rule as it applies to property management companies that perform, offer, or claim to perform regulated renovations without certification from the EPA in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities.   

  EPA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing its intention to withdraw previously published answers to two FAQs concerning property management companies and their compliance responsibilities under the TSCA and the Lead RRP rule.  The notice explains the EPA’s rationale for the withdrawal, and circumstances where a PMC must obtain certification from the EPA and ensure that renovations in the homes they manage are performed by certified firms and employees trained to use lead-safe work practices.

  Read the press release. 

  Read the Federal Register notice for more information at Regulations.gov (EPA-EPA-HQ-OECA-2021-0763). 

• October 28, 2021 – EPA released the draft Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities (Lead Strategy) for public comment. The agency is seeking input from communities affected by lead contamination through virtual and in person workshops nationwide. 

  EPA’s Lead Strategy will utilize the full suite of EPA authorities, expertise, and resources to reduce lead exposure. It outlines three significant ways the agency can reduce lead exposure in overburdened communities.

  Read the strategy and learn more.

• October 27, 2021 – EPA announced that it has completed over 100 federal enforcement actions from October 2020 through September 2021 to ensure that entities such as renovation contractors, landlords and real estate professionals comply with rules that protect the public from exposure to lead from lead-based paint. 

  The highlighted FY2021 enforcement actions include EPA civil administrative proceedings, and judicial civil and criminal actions prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Enforcement actions require alleged violators to come into compliance with the law and, in most cases, to pay penalties. In determining the appropriate civil penalty amount, the agency considers a violator’s ability to pay, ability to continue to do business, and other factors. In some of the settlements announced today, EPA exercised its enforcement discretion and reduced the penalty because the cases involved minor violations and/or small-scale businesses with an inability to pay the penalty.  

  View additional highlights of FY2021 enforcement actions.

• September 30, 2021 - In keeping with the commitment to transparency, EPA released the results from an industry survey it conducted from 2016 to 2018 on renovations performed in public and commercial buildings. The survey utilized separate questionnaires for contractors, building lessors and managers, and building owners and occupants. This activity is occurring as part of EPA’s continuing work on determining the extent to which renovations of public buildings built before 1978 and commercial buildings do or do not create lead-based paint hazards and on developing appropriate Work Practice Standards for such renovation activities, to the extent they are deemed to be necessary.

  The information collected includes: building and activity patterns that may affect exposures to dust-lead from renovation activities; the number of firms that perform renovations; the types and numbers of renovation activities that are performed; the extent to which various work practices are being used in renovation jobs; and the extent to which various work practices that help with the containment and cleanup of dust-lead are being used in renovations. EPA has posted clean data files of the survey results for each questionnaire in the docket for the survey’s Information Collection Request at Regulations.gov (EPA-HQ-OPPT-2013-0715).

• September 27, 2021 – EPA launched a new training initiative, Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach (ELSWPEO), to raise awareness about childhood lead exposure and protect environmentally overburdened and underserved communities across the United States from lead exposure. ELSWPEO aims to serve local communities and advance environmental justice by increasing both the number of renovation, repair and painting (RRP) certified firms and consumer demand for lead-safe work practices.

  Find ELSWPEO training dates and locations, outreach materials, and general information. 

• April 22, 2021 - On the 11^th anniversary of the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, EPA launched a Spanish-language website to cover lead. The “plomo” (or "lead" in Spanish) web area makes it easier for Spanish-speaking communities, families, contractors and renovators across the United States, including Puerto Rico, to access information on lead and EPA’s Spanish-language resources in one place. You can view the new Spanish-language plomo web area at https://espanol.epa.gov/plomo.

2020

• December 21, 2020 – EPA announced a final rule reducing the amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors and window sills after lead removal activities.  These new clearance levels will reduce lead dust-related risks to children in pre-1978 homes and child care facilities where lead abatement activities take place. These clearance levels indicate that lead dust was effectively removed at the end of abatement work. EPA’s new clearance levels are 10 micrograms (µg) of lead in dust per square foot (ft2) for floor dust and 100 µg/ft2 for window sill dust, significantly lower than the previous levels of 40 µg/ft2 for floor dust and 250 µg/ft2 for window sill dust. Read the press release. Learn more about clearance levels and the final rule.

• October 29, 2020 -  EPA highlighted 89 federal enforcement actions completed over the last year to protect the public, especially young children, from exposure to lead in paint.  The cases highlighted in this summary involved alleged noncompliance with at least one of the following Agency’s lead-based paint requirements: the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule; the  TSCA Lead-based Paint Activities Rule; and the Lead Disclosure Rule (LDR) under Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction Act. Read the press release. More information.

• October 21, 2020 - EPA released Lead Awareness in Indian Country: Keeping our Children Healthy!,  a curriculum to help tribes and all communities protect children from potential lead exposure. EPA collaborated with the National Tribal Toxics Council and the National EPA-Tribal Science Council to develop the curriculum to include relevant tribal scenarios and cultural information to increase awareness and education in Indian country. As a result, the curriculum was developed in partnership with over 200 tribal representatives from approximately 80 different tribal governments and tribal organizations. The Lead Awareness in Indian Country: Keeping our Children Healthy! curriculum is a series of four modules which include lesson plans, worksheets, key messages, presentation slides, and kids activity sheets that community leaders and other instructors can use to improve public awareness of the dangers associated with lead exposure and promote preventative actions. Read the press release. View and download the curriculum.  

• June 29, 2020 - EPA issued a memorandum on a termination addendum to the COVID-19 temporary enforcement policy. EPA has selected August 31, 2020, as the termination date for the temporary enforcement policy.

• June 17, 2020 - EPA is proposing to reduce the amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors and window sills after lead removal activities to protect children from the harmful effects of lead exposure. The agency's proposal would lower the amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors and window sills after lead removal activities from 40 micrograms (µg) of lead in dust per square foot (ft2) to 10 µg/ft2 for floor dust and from 250 µg/ft2 to 100 µg/ft2 for window sill dust. This action is an important step to reduce exposure to lead sources and directly supports the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. EPA is accepting public comments on this proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0063. Read the proposed rule to strengthen the dust-lead clearance levels. 

• May 8, 2020 – EPA released a COVID-19 policy statement regarding EPA’s lead-based paint program. The COVID-19 public health emergency is affecting the certification process for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead-based Paint Activities (Abatement) Program and the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program. This policy statement applies only to individuals certified by the U.S. EPA under the Lead-based Paint Activities Program and the RRP Program, not those certified by an authorized State, tribe or territory. Authorized States, tribes and territories may take a different approach under their own authorities. Already certified individuals operating under the U.S. EPA administered programs may be unable to take in-person third-party exams or complete the in-person hands on activities required as part of the certification or recertification process because most exam and training providers are closed due to the public health emergency.  Although performing regulated activities without complete or proper certification is a violation of EPA’s lead-based paint regulations, U.S. EPA’s enforcement memorandum of March 26, 2020 (Temporary COVID-19 Enforcement Policy), provides that EPA may exercise its enforcement discretion with regard to such violations if your interim certification or certification expired on or after March 13, 2020 and it was not possible to complete your certification or recertification process solely due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. If you continue to perform regulated activities, we recommend that you follow the terms of the Temporary COVID-19 Enforcement Policy. You should review the Temporary COVID-19 Enforcement Policy in its entirety and pay particular attention to the following:

  • Make every effort to comply with your environmental compliance obligations;
  • Document the cause and circumstances of the noncompliance; and
  • Complete the third-party exam or refresher training course as expeditiously as possible when it is practicable to take in-person third-party exams for certification or complete the in-person hands on activities for recertification.

Allowing individuals whose interim certification or certification expired on or after March 13, 2020 due to the COVID-19 public health emergency to continue to participate in the EPA Abatement and RRP Programs during this public health emergency will contribute to the public health goal of protecting children and others from lead paint hazards.

2019

• June 21, 2019 – EPA announced new, tighter standards for lead in dust on floors and window sills to protect children from the harmful effects of lead exposure. The final rule lowers the dust-lead hazard standards from 40 µg/ft² and 250 µg/ft² to 10 µg/ft² and 100 µg/ft² on floors and window sills, respectively. EPA is also finalizing its proposal to make no change to the current definition of lead-based paint because there is insufficient information to support such a change at this time. Read the press release. View the final rule.

• April 1, 2019 - EPA released the Implementation Status Report for EPA Actions under the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Status Report). The Status Report describes EPA activities that are being conducted in support of the Lead Action Plan. Through the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, EPA continues to work with its federal partners to improve coordinated activities and implement objectives of the Lead Action Plan. Read the press release. View the FY 2019 status report.

2018

• December 19, 2018 – EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan unveiled the Trump Administration’s Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Lead Action Plan). Developed through cross-governmental collaboration of the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, which includes 17 federal departments and offices, the Lead Action Plan is a blueprint for reducing lead exposure and associated harms by working with a range of stakeholders, including states, tribes and local communities, along with businesses, property owners and parents. Read the press release. Read the Lead Action Plan.

• October 22, 2018 – EPA released “Protecting Children from Lead Exposures” to highlight some of the ongoing programs being worked on across the various program and regional offices. The Agency continues to aggressively address lead issues across America, working with communities and partners to further identify and eliminate lead exposure, especially for children who are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.

• June 22, 2018 – EPA is proposing to change the dust-lead hazard standards from 40 µg/ft² and 250 µg/ft² to 10 µg/ft² and 100 µg/ft² on floors and window sills, respectively. EPA is proposing no changes to the current definition of lead-based paint because the Agency currently lacks sufficient information to support such a change. Upon publication of the Federal Register notice, EPA will accept comments on the proposal for 45 days in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0166. Read the press release. View the proposed rule.

• February 5, 2018 – EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt formally invited members of the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children to participate in a Principals Meeting to discuss next steps in developing a federal strategy to reduce childhood lead exposure and eliminate associated health impacts. The meeting was held on February 15, 2018, from 2-3 pm in Washington, D.C. Read the press release. View the letter inviting cabinet secretaries and other principals to a meeting on next steps in developing a federal strategy to reduce childhood lead exposure.

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