Steps to a Healthier Home KEEP IT CONTAMINANTFREE

Steps to a Healthier Home KEEP IT CONTAMINANT-FREE 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Page 9. 1 IDENTIFY at least four contaminants in the home and strategies to prevent, contain or control them. DESCRIBE at least four ways that contaminants get into the home. IDENTIFY at least three health effects and their associated contaminant. 2

CONTAMINANT BUYING DECISIONS INTENTIONALLY BRING IN: • Tobacco Smoke • Pesticides • Volatile Organic Comp. • Mercury • Asbestos • Meth Labs Page 9. 1 ALONG FOR THE RIDE: • Bedbugs and Mice • Cockroaches • Mice • Formaldehyde • Lead 3

SECOND-HAND SMOKE Page 9. 2 4

TOBACCO SPIKES IN PARTICLE LEVELS Page 9. 2 RSP (cpm) 1000 750 500 250 1 Time (hours) 2 3 Source: Indoor Air Quality, Infiltration and Ventilation in Residential Buildings NYSERDA 1985 [5] 5

Page WHY AVOID SECOND-HAND SMOKE: 9. 2 Children’s Health Effects Adult Health Effects 60% of US population has biological evidence of exposure 6

SMOKE-FREE HOME RULES: STATE PERFORMANCE Page 9. 3 92 -93 98 -99 2003 % Increase Total 43. 2% 60. 2% 72. 2% 67. 1% Max. 69. 6% 81. 1% 88. 8% 107. 9% Min. 25. 7% 38. 9% 53. 4% 27. 6% 7

SMOKE-FREE HOUSING POLICIES Smoke Free Saves Property Owners Money Page 9. 4 8

SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAMS Page 9. 4 Smoke-free policies work best if coupled with cessation resources 9

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS Page 9. 5 Air Fresheners Cleaning Products Sprays & Coatings Formaldehyde Carpets Vinyl Floors Drywall Hobbies Home Maintenance 10

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS Page 9. 5 Concentration of VOC’s can be 2 -5 times greater in the home. During or immediately after paint stripping activities, VOC levels can be 1, 000 times higher than outdoors. 11

12

WHY AVOID VOCS? Page 9. 6 Potential health effects of VOCs: • Eye, nose, throat irritation • Headaches, nausea, coordination • Liver, kidney, and brain damage • Some can cause cancers • Child development 13

Page 9. 7 14

REDUCE POTENTIAL SOURCES Page 9. 7 § Don’t use it if you don’t have to. § Substitute a better product 15

STEPS TO CONTROL VOCS Page 9. 7 Control the source Ventilate 16

THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATIONS Page 9. 8 Buildings Products and Services 17

INDUSTRY STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS Page 9. 8 Understand the Motivations & Research the Options Examples Other Programs 18

AND THEN WE HAVE METH LABS. . . Page 9. 9 19

METH LABS Health & Safety Hazards Page 9. 9 Explosive Flammable Toxic Caustic 20

KEY MESSAGES Page 9. 9 It is easier to prevent exposure to contaminants then it is to remove them and treat their effects. Should contamination occur: control, contain, and clean-up. Contaminants are not always detectable by our senses. 21

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Page 9. 9 IDENTIFY at least four contaminants in the home and strategies to prevent, contain or control them. DESCRIBE at least four ways that contaminants get into the home. IDENTIFY at least three health effects and their associated contaminant. 22

Steps to a Healthier Home KEEP IT MAINTAINED 23

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Page 10. 1 Name at least three systems that require ongoing maintenance. Identify two maintenance actions that require the use of a professional. Name at least two health effects from lead. Identify housing targeted by the RRP rule. Describe the two ways to mitigate radon in a home. 24

CONTAMINANT &MAINTENANCE LEGACY TOXICS: • Lead-Based Paint • Asbestos • Chromated Copper Arsenate Wood • Mercury • Pesticide Residues Page 10. 1 CREATED OR GROWN: • Cockroaches • Mice and Rats • Mold • Carbon Monoxide • Sewer Gas • And Then There is Radon 25

MAINTENANCE Page 10. 1 Solid waste Water supply Sewer system Heating/cooling/dehumidification/humidification Cooking Ventilation Rainwater control/drainage Structural integrity Storage / Organization 26

MAINTENANCE ACTIONS Page 10. 2 Inspect Clean Lubricate Replace Repair Organize 27

Page 10. 2 28

Page 10. 2 How’s the filter? A clogged low efficiency filter partially sucked out of the frame. 29

WHEN? Page 10. 2 On-going Seasonally Annually 30

LEAD AND LEAD-BASED PAINT Page 10. 3 Peeling, Chipping Paint / Deteriorated Paint Dust Soil Drinking water Consumer Products such Pottery, Cribs, Jewelry, Candle Wicks Cultural Items Contaminated Sites 31

Page 10. 3 32

WHY AVOID LEAD? Page 10. 3 Reduced IQ Learning disabilities Impaired hearing Reduced attention spans, behavior problems Anemia Kidney damage Damage to central nervous system Coma, convulsions, death 33

Peeling paint outside 34

LEAD: AGE OF HOUSING MATTERS Year House Was Built Page 10. 4 Percent of Houses with Lead-Based Paint Before 1940 87 percent 1940 -1959 69 percent 1960 -1978 All US Housing Stock 24 percent 40 percent 35

PREVALENCE OF DETERIORATED PAINT Page 2009 American Housing Survey 2% of homes have broken plaster or peeling paint 10. 4 Conditions that Deteriorate Paint • In past twelve months, • 8. 1% of homes had interior water damage • 9. 8% of homes had exterior water damage 36

AVAILABLE TESTING Page 10. 4 Paint Dust - Clearance testing Bare soil Drinking water 37

EPA RRP RULE Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule Page 10. 5 Effective April 22, 2010 Pre-1978 housing (target or child-occupied) Triggers 40 CFR 745. 80 to 745. 91 April 22, 2008 Federal Register 38

IMPACTS OF RRP RULE Page 10. 5 8. 4 million renovation events annually Required certification of firms and individuals 39

WHY NOW? Page 10. 5 Final major rule from the Residential Leadbased Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 Congress required rule to be finalized in 1996 Still to come: Public buildings built before 1978 Commercial buildings that create lead-based paint hazards 40

EPA Resources: • www. epa. gov/lead/pubs/renovation. htm Page 10. 7 HUD Resources: • www. hud. gov/lead 41

SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM RRP Page 10. 7 “Certified Renovation Firm” Disturbs Paint “Certified Renovators” Supervise Work Mandatory Work Practices Post-renovation Cleaning Verification Documentation! 42

HOW CLEAN IS CLEAN? Page 10. 7 Clearance testing is required for jobs receiving HUD funding and as the clients requests 43

A NEW BOOKLET Only for Leases and Sales of Target Housing Page 10. 7 For Renovations in Target Housing and Child-occupied Facilities 44

LEAD DISCLOSURE Page 10. 7 For property transfers For rentals 45

Page HOUSING CODE Housing code provisions related to paint 304. 2 • Protective treatment 304. 6 • Exterior walls 10. 8 305. 3 • Interior surfaces 46

Page 10. 8 ASBESTOS 47

WHY AVOID ASBESTOS? § Page 10. 9 Health effects: - Lung Cancer - Mesothelioma - Asbestosis § Smokers are at greater risk! 48

HOW TO HANDLE ASBESTOS Page 10. 9 LEAVE IT ALONE (if in good condition). Look for signs of wear or damage - avoid touching. If damaged or renovation might disturb it, repair or remove by licensed professional. 49

VERMICULITE Page 10. 10 50

ASBESTOS REGULATIONS Page 10. 10 National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutant (NESHAP) Model Asbestos Program for States EPA’s Ban on Asbestos in Products Reversed in 1992 OSHA standards for workers 51

RADON Page A Serious Health Concern 10. 12 Naturally occurring gas 2 nd leading cause of lung cancer after smoking Leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and people who have never smoked. 52

Page 10. 13 Estimated Lung Cancer Cases in a Population of 1, 000 53

Page 10. 14 54

HOW RADON GETS INTO A HOME ü ü ü ü Page 10. 14 Cracks in solid floors Construction joints Cracks in walls Gaps in suspended floors Gaps around service pipes Cavities inside walls Other openings Water supply 55

TESTING FOR RADON Short Term Long Term Page 10. 15 If result is 4 p. Ci/L or higher take a followup test OR fix the home 56

TESTING FOR RADON Page 10. 16 Testing Options: • Kits • Hire a professional 57

INTERPRETING RADON RESULTS Page 10. 17 Short term test > 4 p. Ci/L • Take second short term test or long term test Short term average or long term test >4 p. Ci/L • Fix home for radon 58

RADON REDUCTION SYSTEMS Page 10. 17 New Construction Existing Housing 59

PASSIVE SUB-SLAB DEPRESSURIZATION SYSTEM (NEW CONSTRUCTION) A. • Gas-Permeable Layer B. • Plastic Sheeting C. • Seal and Caulk D. • Vent Pipe E. • Junction Boxes Page 10. 18 60

FANS MAKE IT AN ACTIVE SYSTEM Page 10. 19 61

RADON FIXES Existing Housing Page 10. 19 üSeal floor and cracks üVent from below slab üFan sucks air – active system üSump suction reduces entry 62

LABEL RADON SYSTEMS Page 10. 20 63

RADON MITIGATION COSTS Page 10. 21 Average Costs New Construction Passive only Active system $350 - $500 $650 - $800 Existing Homes $800 -$2, 500 64

FINDING A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR Page 10. 21 Contact EPA 2 Private National Proficiency Programs 65

RESOURCES State Radon Contacts • www. epa. gov/iaq/whereyoulive. html Coupons for Test Kits • 800 -SOS-RADON (767 -7236) Radon Mitigation • 800 -644 -6999 Other Questions • 800 -55 RADON (557 -2366) IAQ Questions Page 10. 21 • 800 -438 -4318 66

SEWER GAS § § Page 10. 22 Mixture of gases Source 67

KEY MESSAGES Page 10. 22 Systems should be inspected regularly to ensure proper function. Some maintenance activities require the use of professionals. Lead causes a variety of serious health effects. Contractors doing renovation should be certified to work on houses with lead paint. Deteriorating products or areas with asbestos need to be addressed by a certified professional. There are two ways to address high radon levels in a home. 68

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Page 10. 22 Name at least three systems that require ongoing maintenance. Identify two maintenance actions that require the use of a professional. Name at least two health effects from lead. Identify housing targeted by the RRP rule. Describe the two ways to mitigate radon in a home. 69