EPA lead rule will cover more than half of U.S. homes

More than half of U.S. homes could soon be affected by a little-known federal rule to reduce lead exposure. On April 22, the Environmental Protection Agency will begin requiring that contractors who work on pre-1978 homes be certified in lead-safe practices or face daily fines of up to $37,500. The Environmental Protection Agency will be running ads, such as this one, to inform the public about a new rule that requires renovators working on pre-1978 homes to be specially trained to handle lead. "We want people to take it seriously," the EPA's Wendy Hamnett says about the new rule to prevent lead-caused health problems. It will apply to plumbers, carpenters and other remodelers if their work disturbs lead-based paint. Fines apply to untrained workers, not the homeowners who hire them. The EPA is rolling out ads later this month to explain the rule and lead's health hazards. The rule applies to all homes built before lead paint was banned in 1978 unless contractors can show, using an EPA-approved test, that the job area doesn't contain lead. Of 129 million U.S. housing units, 76.5 million were built before 1980, according to the Census Bureau...more