On Earth Day, EPA's new lead renovation, repair and painting program went into effect -- meaning many home renovation contractors now must have special training and certificates.
The rule, which went into effect Thursday, was set two years ago, and the training in lead abatement costs $250 for one eight-hour session. But few local contractors are ready, based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's registration site.
A search of the EPA certified lead-abatement contractor database using a downtown Chattanooga ZIP code and seeking help within a 50-mile radius found 11 certified contractors.
PDF: Lead safe contractor fact sheet
"You do have some people that it has snuck up on, for some reason," said Dawn Harris-Young, a spokeswoman for EPA.
But she and some local contractors say the new requirement shouldn't have been a surprise. Lead-abatement requirements have been in place for nearly a decade for contractors certified to work on jobs paid for with government money.
The new home renovation requirement -- which only affects houses or buildings built before 1978 and occupied by a child, including schools -- just expands the abatement effort to home renovations paid for with private money.
Not complying with the new rules can cost contractors if they are caught working without the certification. EPA spokesman Dale Kemery said a uncertified contractor can be fined $37,500 per day per incident if caught remodeling in lead-tainted areas.
"The lead paint issue has been around for a long time, and I'm surprised some people are not up on it," said Paul Page, Chattanooga's General Services director and the former project manager of City's Hall's renovation.
Mike Gray, owner of Alternative Actions, Inc., an environmental consulting and abatement firm, said EPA has given home contractors two years to prepare.
"Basically, any housing that's pre-1978 and child-occupied has to have a (renovation) contractor who's certified ... if they're going to be disturbing any more than six square feet (of lead-based paint) on the interior or more than 20 square feet on the exterior," he said.
EPA also offers a database for contractors to search for lead-abatement training, a certification that's valid for five years.
Using the Downtown Chattanooga ZIP code, only one training company is available locally. National Environmental Solutions, Inc., based in Sautee, Ga., has a training division office in Soddy-Daisy.
A National Environmental Solutions spokesman could not be reached for comment.
The next nearest training group is in Marietta, Ga.
EPA officials on Wednesday said the agency has accredited 194 training providers nationwide. They have conducted more than 6,600 courses, training an estimated 152,000 people in the construction and remodeling industries to use lead-safe work practices.
What is lead?Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead-based paint is present in many homes built before 1978.Source: EPAExtra costs?* EPA estimates the costs of containment, cleaning and cleaning verification will range from $8 to $167 per job, with the exception on exterior jobs where vertical containment would be required. EPA officials say the estimate includes extra expenses such as plastic sheeting, tape, HEPA vacuums, tool shrouds and extra labor time.* Training costs to individual renovators are estimated to be about $200 for a five-year certification. Firm certifications must be obtained, as well, and will cost $300. The firm fee, paid to the U.S. Treasury, is required by law to cover program administration.Source: EPA
Ms. Harris-Young said there is a simple reason for the new rule: protecting people's health, especially children.
"Despite nearly 30 years of effort to reduce childhood lead exposure, 1 million American children are still exposed to lead each year, putting them at risk for a wide range of health impacts, including lowered IQ and behavior disorders," she said.
One study has found children in homes where renovations were occurring were 30 percent more likely to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood than youngsters in homes where no work is happening, according to an EPA handout on the program.
Lead also can harm adults by causing reproductive problems, high blood pressure, hypertension, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems and muscle and joint pain, according to the EPA.
The new rule, however, does allow homeowners with no children to "opt out" of the requirement to hire a trained renovator if the homeowner certifies they own and live in the home and have no child under age 6 or pregnant women living there.
The new rule does not apply to do-it-yourself home renovators as long as the home is not a rental property.
Mr. Gray, however, doesn't recommend either approach, saying not following the lead-safe rules puts families at risk.
"If (a contractor's work) is putting lead in air, it will be my family feeling the effects of it," he said. "It's our responsibility as adults to protect them from this."