WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed significant updates to its Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule that would expand the rule's scope to cover more types of renovation and restoration work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, and would strengthen the work practice standards required to prevent lead dust contamination.
The current RRP Rule requires contractors who disturb painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities to be certified, use lead-safe work practices, and follow specific cleaning and verification procedures. The proposed updates would expand the rule to cover exterior renovation work that could affect soil lead levels, and would require more rigorous post-renovation cleaning verification.
The proposed updates also address the growing body of research showing that current cleaning verification methods — the visual inspection and wet wipe test — are not sufficiently sensitive to detect lead dust at levels that can harm young children. The EPA is proposing to require the use of more sensitive dust wipe sampling methods in some circumstances.
For restoration contractors, the proposed RRP Rule updates would increase the cost and complexity of renovation and restoration work in pre-1978 housing. Contractors who are already certified under the current RRP Rule would need to update their training and work practices to comply with the new requirements.
The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule updates through a 60-day comment period. Restoration industry associations, including the RIA and the NAHB, have submitted comments urging the EPA to consider the cost and feasibility implications of the proposed changes for small contractors.
