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Lead-Safe Wisconsin: Federal Regulations and Guidelines for Lead and Lead-Based Paint Hazards

In certain cases, the state rules for lead hazards do not match the federal ones. When this happens, follow the stricter rules.

Standards for lead-based paint hazard reduction

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X) outlines the federal strategy for lowering exposure to lead paint in houses. Congress enacted the law in 1992. It’s often referred to as Title X because it was called Title X of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992.

To help explain Title X, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development put out a guide to help check for and control lead-based paint in houses. The Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (2012 Edition) are based on the concepts, definitions, and requirements introduced in Title X. They give information on how to identify lead-based paint hazards in houses and control them safely and efficiently.

Also in 1992, Congress amended the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 to include Title IV, which defines hazardous levels of lead in paint, dust, and soil.

Standards for lead in the workplace

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards include protection for those involved in painting, renovating, or other uses of paint. (Note that OSHA is in the process of revising its standards to reflect the latest science on the health effects of lead, which shows that problems can occur at lower levels of exposure than previously thought.)

Learn more about federal lead laws and regulations.

Standards for lead in the water, air, waste

You can get answers to frequently asked questions about lead in drinking water on the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention – Lead in Drinking Water page and on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Lead in Water page.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates lead in the air, water, and in hazardous waste.

Last revised November 9, 2022