Underserved Communities in California Are Part of a New EPA Initiative to Reduce Lead Exposure Risks

In late September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it was launching Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach (ELSWPEO). The new training and outreach initiative is meant to raise awareness about childhood lead exposure and protect environmentally overburdened and underserved communities in California and across the United States from lead exposure.

In announcing the new initiative, EPA stated:

Many homes, apartments and child-care facilities built before 1978 contain lead-based paint. When disturbed, lead-based paint can release toxic lead dust and cause lead exposure, which is particularly harmful to children. While lead is dangerous to all children, lead exposure disproportionately impacts low-income families and their communities, making the free trainings offered by ELSWPEO an important step toward achieving environmental justice.

The EPA program encourages renovation, repair and painting (RRP) firms and contractors working on pre-1978 homes to become RRP certified. Anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 per the Lead RRP Rule must be certified, and this training is designed to equip contractors and firms with the tools they need to serve their communities and adhere to the Lead RRP Rule. These efforts included multiple English and Spanish-language RRP training sessions in both Los Angeles County and San Diego County.

ELSWPEO also includes online Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions for community leaders. EPA is offering free Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions, in English with simultaneous Spanish interpretation, designed to equip community leaders with the tools and resources needed to educate their communities about lead, lead exposure and actions that can be taken to reduce and prevent childhood lead exposure.

“Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that can harm the brain and other vital organs so this new initiative is good news for everyone in California,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “At LA Testing, our environmental and industrial hygiene laboratories offer lead and other heavy metal testing services to protect families, workers and to help keep companies in regulatory compliance. We also provide sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits and even personal protective equipment (PPE).”

To learn more about lead or other environmental and industrial hygiene testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to lead or other indoor environmental quality test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 

About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail