UPDATE: EPA Recognition of Lead Test Kits

Overview

Renovation, repair and painting activities may disturb painted surfaces and produce a lead-exposure hazard, so before undertaking this work in your home it is important to accurately identify the presence of lead-based paint. According to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) survey of the prevalence of lead-based paint hazards in the nation’s housing, approximately 38 million pre-1978 U.S. dwellings contain lead-based paint. The federal standards for lead-based paint in target housing and child-occupied facilities is a lead content in paint that equals or exceeds a level of 1.0 milligram per centimeter squared (mg/cm2) or 0.5 percent by weight.

In the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (RRP) rule, the Agency described criteria for lead test kits that detect lead in paint.

EPA-Recognized Test Kits

Currently, a lead test kit can be EPA-recognized if it meets the negative response criterion of no more than 5 percent false negatives, with 95 percent confidence for paint containing lead at or above the regulated level, 1.0 mg/cm2 or 0.5 percent by weight. The recognition of such kits will last until EPA publicizes its recognition of the first test kit that meets both the negative response and positive response criteria outlined in the 2008 Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule.

To date, EPA has recognized three lead test kits for use in complying with the false negative response criterion of the RRP rule. They are the 3M LeadCheck™, the State of Massachusetts kit, and D-Lead®.

• 3M LeadCheck™. EPA recognizes that when used by a certified renovator, the 3M LeadCheck™ lead test kit can reliably determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present on wood or ferrous metal (alloys that contain iron). This kit is not recognized for use on plaster and drywall. Certified renovators seeking to use the 3M LeadCheck™ kit for purposes of meeting requirements in the RRP rule can purchase the 3M LeadCheck™ kits from either 3M LeadCheck™ directly or from certain retail outlets. 3M LeadCheck™ is manufactured by 3M™. To order a 3M LeadCheck™ test kit call 800-494-3552 or contact 3M at leadcheck.com/contactus.
• State of Massachusetts. EPA recognizes that when used by trained professionals the State of Massachusetts lead test kit can reliably determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present on drywall and plaster; it is not recognized for use on ferrous metal (alloys that contain iron).
• D-Lead®. Based on the results of the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) study of vendor-submitted lead test kits, EPA recognizes that when used by a certified renovator the D-Lead® Paint Test Kit manufactured by ESCA Tech, Inc., can reliably determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present on wood, ferrous metal (alloys that contain iron), drywall and plaster surfaces. Certified renovators seeking to use the D-Lead® Paint Test Kit for purposes of meeting requirements in the RRP rule can purchase it from certain distributors and retail outlets. To locate a distributor or retailer visit www.esca-tech.com, e-mail rrp@esca-tech.com or call (414) 962-3006.

Read a fact sheet on the EPA-recognized test kits (PDF) (1 pg, 26K, about PDF).

For any questions pertaining to the recognition of these kits, contact Sam Brown of EPA at 202-566-0490 or by email at brown.sam@epa.gov.

Lead Test Kit Environmental Technology Verification

EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program has completed its verification of the performance of four vendor-submitted lead test kits developed to meet the false negative and false positive performance criteria set forth under the 2008 RRP Rule for improved test kits.

The 2008 RRP rule requires that after September 1, 2010, any newly recognized test kit must meet both the negative and positive response criteria of no more than 5 percent false negatives and no more than 10 percent false positives, each with 95 percent confidence, as related to the regulated level of lead in paint of 1.0 mg/cm2 or 0.5 percent by weight.

Based on the ETV results, there are no kits that have met both the false negative and false positive response criteria requirements; however, there is one kit that met only the false negative response criterion (D-Lead®), and it was recognized for use as a false negative-only kit on August 31, 2010. The following table presents the summary results of each test kit evaluated through the ETV program.

To obtain the individual test kit verification reports and a description of the ETV lead test kit verification program, visit www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/etv/este.html#pcqstklp.

Overall ETV Results

Information source: www.epa.gov August 22, 2011