DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is lowering recommended screening levels and strengthening guidance for investigating and cleaning up lead-contaminated soil in residential areas where children live and play.
As a result of lower screening levels, EPA expects to investigate more residential properties for potential cleanup under the Superfund law and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
EPA is lowering the screening level for lead in soil at residential properties from 400 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm. At residential properties with multiple sources of lead exposure, EPA will generally use 100 ppm as the screening level.
Screening levels are not cleanup standards. This update will help EPA site teams make specific cleanup decisions to protect communities using factors that include risk factors and community input that can vary from each site.
There is no known safe blood lead level in children. Lead can harm mental and physical development - slowing down learning and damaging the brain.
EPA will continue to welcome feedback from the public that may be considered in any future updates to the guidance. Please submit written feedback on the guidance in the public docket (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OLEM-2023-0664) for 60 days from January 17 to March 17. For more information, visit the updated guidance webpage. (EPA 01/17/24)
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