SERVICES OFFERED:

• Lead-Based Paint Inspection- ABS Environmental staffs licensed inspectors who utilize XRF sampling instruments to test suspected lead containing exterior and interior painted surfaces of your building for lead-based paint. This procedure is non-damaging to the painted surfaces, with on-site results.

• Lead Paint Removal - ABS Environmental can assist with lead abatement in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Licensed workers perform all work with proper containment to protect the health of occupants. ESTIMATES ARE FREE

• Section 8 Clearance Inspection – A licensed inspector will collect a dust wipe sample from each painted area noted in the section 8 report as being “Above Deminimus.” All painted areas that are noted as “Below Deminimus” must pass a visual inspection.

• Lead Risk Assessment – A licensed risk assessor will conduct a thorough inspection of the property to determine any lead hazards. Appropriate sampling may include dust wipes, soil sampling and water sampling.

• Abatement Clearance Inspection – A licensed inspector will visually inspect and collect dust wipe samples within the area where abatement occurred.

• Project Management/Air Monitoring – Generally performed during lead abatement activities or along the perimeter of the work area – used to determine exposure levels of lead in air. All buildings constructed prior to 1978 has the potential to contain lead-based paint.

What's the real concern about lead?

Lead is a soft, blue-gray, naturally occurring metal. It has been used for centuries for medicinal, industrial, commercial and household purposes. When lead enters the body especially young children can be quite toxic and destructive. Lead is primarily found in the exterior and interior paint of the building. Lead was added to paint for three main reasons: Color Enhancement, Increased Durability & as a Drying Agent. Lead-based paint is typically found in window systems, bathrooms, door jambs, soffits, chair rails and doors.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 75% of the houses built before 1978 contain some lead base paint. The director of that agency describes lead as the**Number One Environmental Threat to the Health of Children in the United States.

Lead is a highly toxic substance and exposure to it is known to cause a variety of health problems in children. These injuries, which are often irreversible, will affect children throughout their lives and may impede their future success. The National Safety Council estimates that there are more than 400,000 children under the age of six who have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Children can be exposed to lead in several ways. The most common way, however, is for children to come in contact with lead-based paint in their own homes. Through chewing on woodwork or just common hand to mouth contact, children can unintentionally ingest lead particles. Any child living in a house built prior to 1978 could be at risk for lead poisoning and should be tested.