14B — April 25 - May 15, 2014 — Green Buildings — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
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G reen B uildings
By Lee E. Wasserman, LEW Corp. EPA’s Lead based paint rule -- “It’s back!” Part 1
Creating the perfect environment
• MEP Design • Sprinkler Design • Commissioning • Energy Conservation and incentives
f you don’t think, lead- based paint regulations followed by litigation is back in the limelight, just ask Lowes. They were issued a $500,000 fine, coupled with an agreement to implement a comprehensive lead pro- gram at their 1,700+ stores nationwide to ensure that the contractors hired to perform work, minimize lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the Environmental Protection Agencies federal Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. Not to mention that this action is cer- tainly coupled with litigation and substantially bad press. Something nobody wants!! “Today’s settlement sends a clear message to all contractors and the firms they hire: Get lead certified and comply with the law to protect children from exposure to dangerous lead dust,” said Cynthia Giles, as- sistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Com- pliance Assurance. This April 17, 2014 announce- ment found Lowes in violation of EPA’s RRP rule, which re- quires all contractors who dis- turb painted surfaces or act as a general contractor in pre-1978 Residential and Child-Occupied I
property to be EPA firm certi- fied and those supervising the work be “Certified Lead Safe Renovators”. “Today’s settlement requires Lowe’s to institute a robust, nationwide program at over 1,700 of its stores to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform renovation projects, like window and door installa- tion, are properly certified and adhere to practices that help prevent lead contamination in customers’ homes,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant At- torney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Divi- sion. “This action, the first of its kind to address lead safe work practices on a system-wide ba- sis, will help prevent children’s exposure to lead in communities across the nation by raising home improvement contractors’ awareness of EPA’s lead safety regulations and contributing to a culture of compliance.” After 20+ years of success- fully predicting the future of the environmental industry, I am willing to bet heavy that ALL the other major Home Supply Retailers and their subcontrac- tors and customers will also step up their Lead-Based Paint RRP compliance and awareness
programs shortly! Nobody wants to be the next entity that EPA picks a fight with! Beginning June, 2014 and continuing approximately over the next 18 months, all con- tractors who had previously completed their EPA RRP Cer- tified Renovator courses and the certified firmwill have to renew their certification. EPA’s RRP program is a five (5) year certi- fication with a 4 hour refresher course required prior to the Certified Lead Safe Renovator Supervisors current certifica- tion’s expiration date. CHECK your RRP certification expira- tion date now! If you have never been properly certified, an 8 hour course is all it takes. Based on communications I have been privy to, as well as EPA’s most recent press release of holding the supply side of our contracting industry account- able, the EPA means business!! Get trained or refreshed!! For additional information visit www.RRPTrainer.com Lee E. Wasserman, pres. of LEW Corp., nationally rec- ognized Lead-Based Paint Subject Expert, (2012 HUD Guidelines reviewer), Rec- ognized Microbial expert, LWasserman@LEWCorp. com n
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