EPA RRP rule

Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so homes built before then may contain it. Sanding, cutting or demolishing painted surfaces creates dust that is especially harmful to young children. The RRP rule applies to paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing and in child-occupied facilities such as schools and child care centers.

Covered work requires a firm certified by the EPA, or by the state where the state runs its own program, and at least one certified renovator who has completed accredited training. Crews must follow lead-safe practices: containing the work area, avoiding prohibited methods such as open-flame burning, and cleaning and verifying the area afterward.

Before starting, you must give the owner and occupants the EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet and keep records showing you did. Minor repair work that disturbs only small areas of paint can be exempt, but window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces are not.

Penalties for violations can be substantial. Check the EPA’s RRP pages or your state’s program for current requirements, and price the extra containment, time and cleanup into estimates for older homes.