What is Lead-Based Paint and What is a Lead Hazard?

Information by State  Print version   In This Section Lead and Its Health Effects   What are the Effects of Lead Poisoning on Health?   Who is at Greatest Risk of Lead Poisoning?   How Do People Get Lead-Poisoned?   What is Lead-Based Paint and What is a Lead Hazard?

Lead-based paint - The Federal definition is at least 1 milligram per square centimeter of lead on a surface or at least 0.5 percent by weight.

A lead-based paint hazard is a condition that causes exposure to lead sufficient to cause adverse human health effects. Lead hazards include:

• Deteriorated lead-based paint. As paint ages or is damaged, it deteriorates and may create hazardous conditions including lead-based paint chips, and lead-contaminated dust and soil.
  
  
• Friction, impact and chewable surfaces. Certain surfaces are subject to damage and, therefore, likely to generate lead-contaminated dust, soil, and paint chips. These include
  • surfaces subject to friction or abrasion such as stair tread and window sashes,
  • surfaces subject to repeated impacts such as door frames, and
  • surfaces that are available to children to mouth or chew such as window sills and door frames.
    
    
• Lead-contaminated dust. Lead-contaminated dust is dust with lead concentrations that exceed Federal standards. Lead-contaminated dust can come from lead-based paint that is deteriorated, disturbed, or subject to friction. It can also come from lead-contaminated soil. It is not always visible to the naked eye and it is difficult to clean up.
  
  
• Lead-contaminated bare soil. Lead-contaminated soil is bare soil around a residence that has lead concentrations exceeding Federal standards. Deteriorating exterior paint that contains lead and past emissions of lead gasoline are the primary sources of lead in soil. Lead-contaminated soil can be tracked into a home by people or pets and become dust that is ingested.