The Polk County Health Department has testing and remediation programs available, with a focus on families with young children. These fliers give more information on the programs and who to contact. The Polk County Lead Program is dedicated to the prevention of childhood lead poisoning by reducing lead paint hazards and increasing awareness about the dangers posed by lead.

In accordance with a new state law, children are required to be tested for elevated blood levels of lead prior to entering school.

• The test is the only way to know if your child is lead poisoned.
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  Lead-Based Paint

Congratulations, you have gone to heroic lengths to minimize creation of dust and paint chips during demolition and construction. But, you're not done yet! A thorough final cleaning is one of the most important steps when working in a home with lead-based paint. Here are the steps to follow for the final clean (source: Lead Paint Safety: A Field Guide for Painting, Home Maintenance and Renovation work – US Department of Housing and Urban Development).

1. Pick Up Work Area
   • Pick up large chips with a damp paper towel.

This field guide gives sound and practical advice for minimizing lead-based paint exposure hazards during demolition and construction.

This section is currently under construction. Check back for new and updated articles relating to lead-based paint.

Prior to being banned as a paint additive in 1978, lead was manufactured into paint for four primary reasons: pigmentation, durability, corrosion resistance, and as a mold inhibitor. Lead can also be found in primers, stains, varnishes, and shellacs.

What is a Hazard?

Not all lead-based paint is classified as a hazard.

Lead-based paint is defined as paint or other surface coating that contains lead at or above the Federal limit of 1.0 mg per square centimeter or greater than .5% by weight.

Lead safe work practices are a critical piece of maintaining a healthy home. Homeowners and contractors alike must take responsibility for minimizing the risk of lead poisoning to people who live in and work on the home.

• Iowa ranks 5th in the nation on percentage of homes constructed prior to 1950. Twenty-seven percent of the homes in Polk County were built prior to 1950, and of those, virtually of them will contain lead based paint.

• Adults can become lead poisoned. Adults can carry lead dust home on their clothes after working on buildings with lead based paint, leading to high blood levels in their family members.
• Among the 1999 birth cohort, 6.8% of Iowa children tested had blood levels of greater than 10ul/dL, the national cutoff for "Elevated Blood Level".
• Lead poisoning is not necessarily acute, but can be a chronic disease with few recognizable symptoms. Adult symptoms include headaches, poor appetite, sleeplessness, nausea, bowel irritation, and tremors.
• Lead can be found in many circumstances including interior paint, exterior paint, varnish, pipes, toys, lead-glazed pottery, jewelry, hobbies (fishing sinkers, casting, stained glass), and some folk remedies.
• There are practical steps contractors and homeowners can take to minimize exposure to lead based paint chips and dust. This online "mini-book" will discuss the currently accepted lead-safe work practices, but will not serve as a substitute for attending a class taught by a qualified professional.
• There are federal and state notification requirements that contractors MUST follow when they are working on pre-1978 housing. If you don't follow these requirements, you risk fines.
• In the absence of a lead risk assessment by a qualified professional, you should assume that ALL paint in pre-1978 homes is lead based. Store-bought chemical test kits are not considered reliable by the EPA or HUD.