Lead Around the House

Testing for lead: An in-home testing kit rated effective by Consumers Union is available for $33.45 (including return postage) from Frandon Enterprises Inc., (800) 359-9000. Its manufacturers claim the kit will detect lead on painted surfaces, children’s toys, metalware (such as pewter), glassware and ceramics, and soldered joints (including pipes and non-aluminium food cans). One kit tests 100 items.

Testing for lead in drinking water and soil must be done by a commercial laboratory.

Leaded cans: Be careful of foods that have been canned outside the United States; their containers may have been lead-soldered. The contents of even newly opened leaded cans may be contaminated. And never store any food product in its open can. Lead leaching into contents can quickly reach toxic levels. Even the foil at the top of a wine bottle, if leaded, can add a toxic bouquet to your Chardonnay. Before pouring a glass of the Grappa, wipe the bottle’s mouth to remove any leaded residue.

Ceramics: If unsure of the age or national origin of a piece of ceramic ware or pottery, do not use it for food presentation, serving or storage. A clear glass liner will shield food from contamination, while letting colors and designs show through. Also, when traveling overseas, be especially vigilant about food or liquid served in ceramic dishes or cups. The more acidic the food (coffee, hot sauces, citrus fruits), the greater the leaching action of lead from improperly fired glazes.

Soil: Leaded paint chips flaking off exterior walls and fences, or earlier long-term exposure to leaded auto exhaust, can contaminate soil.

Children are at greatest risk. Acceptable levels of lead exposure in soil for most children range between 200 to 500 parts per million, according to EPA toxicologist Jerry Hiatt. Risk levels vary depending on how much additional lead a child may be picking up from other sources (including air, drinking water and diet).

“Our concern really comes from what we call incidental ingestion of soil,� explains Hiatt. “Some kids do actively eat dirt, a condition called pica. A child with pica would shift the acceptable level (of lead exposure) lower, because the amount of dirt ingested every day is so much higher.�

If your child has an elevated lead blood level, or if you have reason to suspect significant contamination, have your soil tested by a state- or EPA-certified laboratory. Check your phone directory for testing firms in your area.

The three certified laboratories listed earlier for drinking water analysis will also test your soil. Prices range from $18 to $32 a sample.

Getting rid of the contaminated terra firma can be costly. Covering danger areas with cement, or replacing topsoil with a nontoxic fill, will eliminate the problem, but first make sure you have a major hazard before setting the bulldozers loose in your yard.

Drinking water: The EPA has set the safe limit for lead in water at 15 parts per billion, although some safe drinking water advocates want this lowered to less than 10. If you live in an older home that has lead-soldered plumbing, you should probably have your water tested by a state- or EPA-certified laboratory.

Among those local testing firms recommended by city water and county health officials are: Del Mar Analytical, Irvine, (714) 261-1022; Associated Laboratories, Orange, (714) 771-6900; and Truesdail Laboratories, Tustin, (714) 730-6239. Cost per sample is $18 to $20, with results usually reported in five to 10 working days. For other certified laboratories, call your local water supplier.

Lead can be effectively removed from home water supplies using a reverse osmosis filtering system. (Charcoal, sand or cartridge filters will not remove lead from water.) Reverse osmosis systems can be rented from commercial water companies for about $20 to $25 per month, plus a one-time installation fee of about $30 (some companies provide free installation during limited promotions).

There is evidence, confirmed by the EPA, that running the household tap for a minute or so to clear standing lead from pipes may, in some cases where lead fixtures are involved, actually increase lead content. Also, critics of tap running claim that 3 billion gallons of water a day would be wasted nationally by widespread flushing of household plumbing. If you must use water from suspect supplies, remember that hot water can leach lead at alarming rates, and should never be used directly from the tap for cooking.

Paint: There are about 50,000 pre-1950 housing units in Orange County, most of which probably have some leaded paint on their walls. Generally, as long as affected areas are relatively stable (no cracking, peeling or worn places), there is little immediate danger of contamination.

In some cases, disturbing leaded paint can pose a greater health hazard than letting it be, says Jim Huston, assistant director of environmental health for the county. Leaded dust from sanding can spread through the entire house.

Specially filtered vacuums costing as much as $1,000 are needed to safely remove dust from living areas. Removing paint with heat guns may also be risky, because lead can vaporize into toxic fumes.

It is safest to either cover the affected surfaces with paneling or wallpaper (not possible, however, on window sills and doorjambs), or remove the painted structures entirely. (Leaded materials should be disposed of in accordance with state toxic waste regulations.) If you have a major contamination problem, you may need to call in a qualified contractor to perform the work--if you can find one.

“To my knowledge, in Orange County, there’s currently no list of people certified for that sort of thing,� says Huston.

This is probably because a state system of certification is not yet fully in place, according to John Phillips, a special assistant for Housing and Urban Development.

“(Professional residential lead removal) hasn’t really gotten off the ground yet,� he says, although HUD is expecting that state-certified contractors will be available locally sometime in the next year.

Childhood lead screening: The Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning in Washington, D.C., recommends that children between the ages of 9 months and 7 years be tested annually for lead poisoning. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, levels of concern begin at 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.