Lead Testing Laboratory

Cinnaminson, NJ, February 5^th, 2018

Congress passed the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, also known as Title X, to protect families from exposure to lead from paint, dust and soil. Section 1018 of this law directed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require the disclosure of known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before the sale or lease of most housing built before 1978.

Homes built before 1978 were selected because that was the year the federal government banned consumer uses of lead in paints. Due to its prior use in paints, the EPA has stated that approximately three-quarters of the nation’s housing stock built before that year contains some lead-based paint.

With the presence of lead-based paints as a major safety concern, homebuyers today have important rights when it comes to knowing whether lead is present in a home they may purchase. Federal law requires that before being obligated under a contract to buy housing built prior to 1978, buyers must receive the following from the home seller:

• An EPA-approved information pamphlet on identifying and controlling lead-based paint hazards titled Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.
• Any known information concerning the presence of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the home or building.
• For multi-unit buildings, this requirement includes records and reports concerning common areas and other units when such information was obtained as a result of a building-wide evaluation.
• An attachment to the contract, or language inserted in the contract, that includes a "Lead Warning Statement" and confirms that the seller has complied with all notification requirements.
• A 10-day period to conduct a paint inspection or risk assessment for lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards. Parties may mutually agree, in writing, to lengthen or shorten the time period for inspection. Homebuyers may waive this inspection opportunity.

“To assist in these efforts, EMSL offers rapid lead testing services, sampling supplies and even easy-to-use test kits to identify lead and other potential hazards that homebuyers should be on the lookout for before purchasing a home,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Exposure to lead is serious because lead poisoning can cause permanent damage to the brain and many other organs. Quick and affordable testing is available to provide answers to lead in paint, dusts and even a home’s water.”

EMSL recently sponsored an educational video about homebuyers and lead disclosure that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/z7SVm4Epigo.

To learn more about lead or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com. To access indoor environmental quality test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical, Inc. is one of the leading testing laboratories with 43 locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations.  In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.