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Before starting a construction, renovation or demolition project, first contact the county building planning or permitting authority for local regulatory information.
The Washington State Department of Ecology’s Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program and the United States Environmental Protection Agency regulate lead wastes above certain concentrations because it is so toxic to people and animals. The regulations do not address the management of lead paint until the paint becomes a waste.
Ecology does not regulate products. Paint waste is considered generated or created when it is removed from the building, wooden trim, soil, furniture, and so on.
Ecology does not regulate the act of removing paint from the building at all. Ecology cannot answer questions about paint sampling requirements under the federal lead abatement regulations and requirements of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act.
The Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (HWTR) Program affects persons who generate, transport, transfer, recycle, treat, store, or dispose of regulated dangerous wastes, as defined in Chapter 173–303 WAC Exit Ecology (the Washington Administrative Code) - The Dangerous Waste Regulations.
Solid wastes must be designated to see if they are dangerous wastes before disposal unless they are exempted or removed from the dangerous waste regulations.
Designation is the procedure used to decide if a waste is a dangerous waste and to pick the right dangerous waste numbers to identify the waste on the shipping manifest and at the disposal facility. The dangerous waste numbers determine how the waste can actually be disposed of – whether it can be put in a landfill or if it has to be incinerated for example. Most dangerous wastes, including lead, have to be treated to stop them from leaching or escaping in a landfill site.
Lead wastes are designated through the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test. It must be run "on a representative sample of the waste".
See the section titled Dangerous Waste Identification / Designation for more detailed information about waste designation, sampling and testing.
A list of sampling and testing methods used by the Ecology is found in WAC 173-303-110 Exit Ecology
The Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program directly regulates dangerous waste from medium and large quantity generators. Small quantity generator waste oversight is delegated to local health and public works departments. Dangerous waste that is regulated as Household Hazardous Waste or as Small Quantity Generator (SQG) Waste is managed by local government - usually health, solid waste, or public works departments.
Refer to Local Dangerous Waste Regulations and Guidance, State Dangerous Waste Regulations and Guidance, and Federal Dangerous Waste Regulations and Guidance for more information about local, State, and Federal regulations regarding dangerous wastes.
See Household Lead Waste Disposal for details about lead paint and household wastes.
The Washington State Department of Health Exit Ecology Office of Environmental Health and Safety is to protect and promote public health through assessment of environmental health problems, development of public policy, regulations, and guidelines, and provision of health information and education to the public, health care providers, and governmental agencies.
Lead Program staff conduct environmental monitoring and educational outreach to reduce lead exposure among Washington's children.
At the request of local health jurisdictions staff conducts environmental sampling when children are reported to have elevated blood lead levels above 15. The purpose of the sampling is to determine source(s) of lead contamination in the residence. The program assists local health jurisdictions by providing recommendations for appropriate intervention strategies, training, and educational outreach support. Staff conducts education outreach through pamphlets, brochures, fact sheets, and training sessions.
Links to Washington State Local Health Departments/ Districts Exit Ecology
For additional information, please contact:
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Exit Ecology enforces the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act's (WISHA) Standard for Lead in Construction, WAC 296-155-176.
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Lead Task |
Required Protection Level |
| Possible exposure above the PEL | As if the exposure is above the PEL |
Where lead containing coatings or paint are present:
Spray painting with lead paint. |
As if the exposure is more than ten (10) times the PEL |
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Using lead containing mortar; lead burning; Where lead containing coatings or paint are present:
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As if the exposure is more than 500 µg/m3 |
Where lead containing coatings or paint are present on structures
when performing:
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As if the exposure is more than 2,500 µg/m3 (50 times the PEL) |
Containment structures may result in higher airborne concentrations of lead, although they reduce environmental contamination by capturing particles of paint and used blasting material.
The Standard for Lead in Construction, WAC 296-155-176 Exit Ecology is available though the Department of Labor and Industries which enforces WISHA:
L&I provides consultations to employers for worker-protection requirements relating to lead exposure. In addition, there are a number of other resources available to homeowners and other interested parties:
Additional information may be obtained from the following web sites on the Internet: