TOPIC: Possible Lead Hazard

Old gelcoat could have lead content if lead was used as a pigment. Wood boats could certainly have lead content - not just in paint but also in the varnish. The same is true - and possibly more so - for trailers.

Last week I took the Lead Paint RRP certification class now required by the EPA for renovators. It focused on structural coatings - mainly 1978 and prior. What got me thinking about the boats was their doing a swab test on a vinyl window blind from about 1971.

The test is a simple swab test - you can buy the home game version at Home Depot. Anyway - the blind tested positive. Hard to imagine why as it's vinyl not paint - but the reason is that there's lead in the pigment used to make the vinyl white.

No reason why there couldn't be lead in white gelcoat. I just tested a piece from a '69 Evinrude Rogue and it was negative - although they say it could take up to 18 hours for the test to function on marine surfaces which could apply to gelcoat as well - so I'll check it again later.

If a positive were obtained it'd be a real nasty issue. Sanding it would create lead contaminated dust which is not just harmful to yourself but really harmful to children. To be in compliance you have to create an enclosure - control dust and chips, properly handle contaminated water (like from pressure washing a house ...or wet sanding a boat) test the area after you're finished - it's asbestos light - and yes - even a homeowner doing his own work has to comply. You might not care but some day you'll sell the house and the lead will still be there.

The fine is over $30,000 per occurance. The standard is the equivalent of a Sweet and Low packet dispersed over 12,000 square feet.


So... watch out for lead. If you're doing work on anything made 1978 or prior use a swab test to be sure if it has lead content or not. If it's negative take photos of the test to prove you did it and it was negative. A concerned neighbor could change your day.

Peter
in Denver