Get matched with top lead testing and removal specialists in Ferndale, NY

Determining if your water main contains lead involves a few steps. First, check the age of your property, as homes built before the 1980s might have lead pipes. Contact your water utility company for information on your service line material. Then, you can hire a professional plumber to conduct an inspection or use a lead testing kit to analyze water from the main line.

You can expect to pay between $200 and $400 for a lead inspection, where your local lead testing pro will scan surfaces and items with an X-ray fluorescent analyzer. Lead risk assessments are slightly different and run around $800 to $2,000. A pro may find lead during an evaluation, and create a removal strategy.

Properties should be tested for lead every 2-3 years, especially if they are older, have undergone renovations, or show deterioration of paint or interior finishes.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazardous waste is generally classified into four main categories:

1. Characteristic Wastes: These exhibit at least one of four hazardous traits: ignitability (flammable, like gasoline), corrosivity (can rust or decompose materials, like car batteries), reactivity (unstable and can explode, like aerosol cans), or toxicity (harmful when ingested, like lead-based paint).

2. Listed Wastes: These are specific wastes from manufacturing and industrial processes that the EPA has officially designated as hazardous. They include byproducts from processes that use solvents, pesticides, and other chemicals.

3. Universal Wastes: These are commonly generated hazardous items that are subject to streamlined regulations. Examples include batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment (e.g., bulbs), and some lamps.

4. Mixed Wastes: This category includes waste that contains both hazardous and radioactive components, making it subject to regulation by both the EPA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.