EPA and HUD Announce New Lead Dust Standards for Floors and Window Sills

The more protective hazard standards will apply to inspections, risk assessments, and abatement activities in pre-1978 housing, according to the EPA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new, tighter standards for lead in dust on floors and window sills to protect children from potentially harmful effects of lead exposure. The announcement comes almost a year after the agency influentially recommended tighter dust-lead hazard standards.

The agency is lowering the dust-lead hazard standards to 10 micrograms of lead per square foot (µg/ft²⁾from 40 µg/ft² for floors and to 100 µg/ft² from 250 µg/ft²for window sills. The more protective hazard standards will apply to inspections, risk assessments, and abatement activities in pre-1978 housing and certain schools, child care facilities, and hospitals, according to the EPA.