EPA issued an enforcement alert for the lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children. In children, lead can severely harm mental and physical development, slow down learning, and irreversibly damage the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and may cause cancer. If someone is impacted by lead exposure, there is no known antidote, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This enforcement alert contains information on the wide range of enforcement tools the EPA can use to deter and penalize violators, including violations by franchises, general and sub-contractors, and people who provide residential improvements. It also explains how renovating, repairing, and painting can expose vulnerable infants and children to dangerous lead-based paint hazards and how EPA acts to ensure environmental justice and enforce the RRP Rule requirements. EPA's enforcement alert includes information about how contractors, who play a critical role in preventing lead exposure, can ensure they are properly trained and certified.