Most houses and buildings built before 1950 had lead-based paint applied to the interior or exterior surfaces. In most cases, lead paint of this era contained up to 40% lead. Some paints made between 1950 and 1978 contained smaller amounts of lead. Lead paint that is in poor condition is known to be a potential hazard to small children and pregnant women. Paint containing 0.5 percent or more lead by weight or 1 mg/cm2 or more lead by x-ray fluorescence is considered to be lead paint.

In 1993, increasing concerns about exposure to lead paint during construction and renovation activities led OSHA to revise their Lead in Construction standard to be more protective of workers engaged in such activities. This standard provides guidelines for work practices to minimize generation and spread of lead-containing dust, establishes a permissible exposure limit for inhalation exposure and establishes biological monitoring criteria.

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs also promulgated regulations concerning lead abatement activities. These regulations establish that activities involved in abatement of a lead paint hazard must be conducted by a licensed lead abatement contractor. The regulations do not apply to regular construction, maintenance or renovation activities that necessitate removal of lead paint. The difference is the purpose of the project: removal of a lead paint hazard versus removal of lead paint as a result of a maintenance or renovation activity.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental
Protection Agency regulate the disposal of lead-containing wastes. Lead paint chips or building materials coated with lead paint may contain high enough concentrations of lead to deem them hazardous waste. Disposal of such materials must be performed by a licensed hazardous waste contractor. Hazardous waste disposal is coordinated by EHS.

EHS maintains a database of all lead paint testing performed on campus. A significant amount of testing data is available for most of the multi-unit apartment complexes managed by the Housing Department.

• If a project involves disturbing painted surfaces, particularly by means of scraping or sanding, and the coatings were applied prior to 1978, contact EHS to determine whether lead paint is involved. This may require sampling of the paint.
  
• If lead paint will be disturbed, contact EHS for advice on minimizing dust generation and personal exposure. Such measures may include using plastic sheeting to isolate the area, using wet techniques, washing with trisodium phosphate, using a HEPA vacuum, and, possibly wearing a respirator. Exposure monitoring by means of air sampling may also be advised.
  
• If lead paint was disturbed in an area occupied or frequently visited by children under six years old or pregnant women, clearance testing is advised. Contact EHS to conduct wipe sampling of the floor or window area. Results will be compared to clearance requirements for asbestos abatement projects.
  
• Lead paint chips usually contain enough lead to be considered hazardous waste. If lead paint chips are generated, they must be collected and placed in the lead paint chip collection drum located outside MacMillan Building. Contact EHS for more information. If other wastes potentially contain high levels of lead, contact EHS for testing to determine whether the material must be treated as hazardous waste.
  
• Contractors must be informed of the location of lead-containing building materials in the work areas to which they are assigned.

Contractors that will disturb lead containing building materials must take necessary precautions to protect their own employees, as well as University employees, students and visitors from exposure to lead dust and prevent contamination of soil. Wastes must be collected and disposed in accordance with federal and state regulations.

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