TriState Pennysaver News

Was Your House Built Before 1978? If ‘YES’, You Need to Read This!

- by Norm St.Onge

Beginning on April 22, the new EPA “Lead Safe” law regarding renovation, repair and painting work performed on houses, apartments and child care facilities built prior to 1978 goes into effect. Formerly known as the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting law (EPA RRP), this law has nothing to do with local building codes or permits; the EPA law is being implemented and enforced at the federal level; compliance is not optional.

As a licensed and certified contractor, here are some of the questions my customers have asked:

What’s the deal with lead paint? Dust from lead paint is an extremely hazardous toxin. Even in microscopic amounts it’s particularly dangerous to young children where it can cause learning disabilities, damage to the central nervous system and kidneys to name but a few. The health effects to adults and pets are just as serious.

What is the “EPA RRP” law? Simply put, it’s taking consistent precautions to contain the dust created by sanding, scraping, demolition, and other common construction and painting activities. At the completion of the project the work area must be thoroughly cleaned using a formalized multi-step process. All debris must be double-bagged and disposed of as hazardous waste. All of these steps must be documented, requiring both the contractor and homeowner to sign off; these files must be maintained by the contractor for three years.

What kind of work is covered under these new rules? Just about everything. Interior & exterior repairs, painting, renovations, remodeling, replacement windows & doors...anything that disturbs a painted surface in pre-1978 housing. This isn’t just about carpenters and painters either; plumbers, electricians, heating and cooling contractors... essentially all trades must be EPA certified and comply with law.

Why haven’t I heard of this until now? The new law has been quietly out there for a couple of years. The EPA has done a terrible job of notifying contractors and homeowners alike, but with the final implementation date quickly closing in there’s a sudden scramble to implement contractor training, certification and homeowner awareness.

What is contractor training and certification? Beginning on April 22, any contractor performing work on a pre-1978 house must be an EPA Certified Renovator. By current EPA estimates less than half of the contractors in the U.S. will be trained and certified by the April 22nd enactment date.

This sounds like it’s going to cost me more money. Well, it will. Factoring in the cost of containment and cleaning materials and the additional labor, the EPA RRP will add some cost to your project. There are a number of variables that will impact the final numbers but a realistic estimate is a 4-8% cost increase. Considering the potential health issues and EPA penalties the increased cost seems almost inconsequential in comparison.

We won’t get caught, can’t we just ignore it? Of course you can ignore it. The same way people ignore building codes and permits and use unlicensed contractors every day. But, all it takes is one grumpy neighbor – or a case of lead poisoning - to ruin your day. The EPA penalties start at $37,500 per day plus the potential for prison sentences.

Norm St.Onge is a licensed contractor, VT EMP Certified and EPA RRP Certified Renovator based in southern Vermont. He can be reached at (802)442-7400 or norm@tboes.com

Additional Resources:

1. The State of Vermont, Office of the Attorney General: www.atg.state.vt.us/issues/consumer-protection/lead-issues.php

2. US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

3. Leadsafe Vermont: www.leadsafevermont.org/home.html