EPA Mandates Contractors Must Be Lead-Safe Certified by April 22, 2010
April 24, 2010
Think lead paint doesn’t affect your business? Think again.
A new rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that all renovation and repair contractors working in pre-1978 homes, schools, and day care centers who disrupt more than six square feet of lead paint are required to become EPA Certified in lead-safe work practices. Contractors are required to take a one-day training course and firms must send a short application to the EPA. If not, they could face tens of thousands of dollars in fines in the future.
Steve Owens, Assistant Administrator of the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said there is a simple reason for the new rule: protecting people’s health, especially children.
“Childhood lead poisoning is a preventable disease, and our goal is to eliminate it,” said Steve Owens.
Many contractors think the issue of lead paint poisoning went away years ago, or that they are doing all that needs to be done to avoid it. But lead paint poisoning isn’t just about eating paint chips, and even contractors who think they are doing a good job may not be working in a lead-safe manner. In fact, new research shows that contractors like plumbers, electricians, painters and window replacement experts can inadvertently expose children to harmful levels of lead from invisible dust disturbed during jobs they perform every day.
“The greatest risk is for young children living in homes during renovations,” said Owens. “One study found they were 30% more likely to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood than kids in homes where renovations were not occurring. So it’s very important that contractors learn how to work lead-safe and that families hire lead-safe certified contractors.”
A pregnant woman exposed to lead can transfer lead to her fetus. The irreversible damages of lead poisoning can lead to a range of effects from memory loss and diminished motor skills to behavioral and learning disabilities.
Those who work on pre-1978 homes, apartments, schools, day care centers and other places where children spend time, from large and small contractors to building services professionals, will have to take the necessary steps to become lead-safe certified. Firms must register with the EPA and pay a fee. Individuals must take a one-day training course from an EPA-accredited training provider to become a certified renovator. Renovator training is also available via e-learning. This option allows trainers to provide much of the course content online, making it more convenient for many renovators. EPA certification is good for five years.
“Getting lead-safe certified is it the right thing to do for contractors, their customers, and their employees, and especially for the children who spend time near spaces that are being renovated,” said Owens.
Steve Owens says that the EPA is mindful of the small added costs that may result from complying with this important rule. To that end, he said the EPA is launching a consumer campaign designed to raise awareness of the dangers of lead paint poisoning, and encourage consumers to choose only contractors who are Lead-Safe Certified.
San Antonio Designated A Top Relocation Market
April 23, 2010
The three most important things to remember when moving and buying a new home are: location, location, location. As potential homebuyers start looking for new homes, RelocateAmerica.com, the premier website in providing relocating consumers access to resources for their upcoming relocation, has released its 13th annual list of “America’s Top 100 Places to Live for 2010.”
The “Top 100 Places to Live” list features several breakout categories such as the Top 10 Recovery Cities, Retirement Cities, ‘Earth Friendly’ Cities, Recreation Cities and Small Towns.
New for this year, the Top 10 Recovery Cities focused on areas poised for swift economic recovery. Many of these communities did not see the massive real estate bubble that formed in other areas and have a more diverse economy.
To be considered for the list, a community is nominated at RelocateAmerica.com. From the thousands of submissions, the editorial team reviews the nominations and selects the Top 100 Places to Live, as well as the Top 10 for each smaller category, based on interviews with local leaders; feedback from residents; and economic, environmental, education, crime, employment and housing data for the past year.
“Given the tough economic times our nation is facing, homebuyers have re-evaluated their priorities and are looking to relocate to communities that offer plenty of perks, but minimal hassle and cost,” said Peter Meyers, Vice President, Research and Content Development, at RelocateAmerica.com. “While some cities are facing a road to recovery that could take years, others are poised for a quick rebound – and already have seen growth. We wanted to highlight those cities that are on the road back to economic health.”
The “Top 100 Places to Live” list is organized with the Top 10 communities ranked and the remaining 90 compiled alphabetically, to recognize all the communities on the list.
| Top 10 Overall Cities: | Top 10 Recovery Cities: | |
| 1. Huntsville, AL | 1. Huntsville, AL | |
| 2. Washington, DC | 2. Austin, TX | |
| 3. Austin, TX | 3. Las Cruces, NM | |
| 4. San Diego, CA | 4 Washington, DC | |
| 5. San Antonio, TX | 5. San Antonio, TX | |
| 6. Tulsa, OK | 6. McAllen, TX | |
| 7. Charlotte, NC | 7. Billings, MT | |
| 8. Raleigh, NC | 8. Albuquerque, NM | |
| 9. Boulder, CO | 9. Everett, WA | |
| 10. Minneapolis, MN | 10. Boulder, CO |
| Top 10 Retirement Cities: | Top 10 ‘Earth Friendly’ Cities: | |
| 1. Ashville, NC | 1. Portland, OR | |
| 2. Bella Vista, AR | 2. Boston, MA | |
| 3. Green Valley, AZ | 3. Madison, WI | |
| 4. Sarasota, FL | 4. Boulder, CO | |
| 5. Prescott, AZ | 5. Austin, TX | |
| 6. Tampa, FL | 6. Chicago, IL | |
| 7. Greenville, SC | 7. Minneapolis, MN | |
| 8. San Antonio, TX | 8. Fort Worth, TX | |
| 9. Hot Springs Village, AR | 9. Ann Arbor, MI | |
| 10. Colorado Springs, CO | 10. Huntsville, AL |
