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Lead toxicity comes from inhaling lead or consuming it. Before the 1980s, when the government banned lead from consumer use, it could be found in paint, plumbing, pipes, ceramics, and even gasoline. Lead paint is toxic for the same reason lead itself is toxic, which is why lead poisoning from paint presents the same as lead poisoning from water or food sources, with a slight increase in respiratory symptoms vs. digestive symptoms. Lead paint is most dangerous when it’s old and peeling, cracking, or otherwise disturbed. This increases the concentration in the air and, therefore, in breathable air. 

Government regulations such as the EPA and OSHA govern lead removal procedures to ensure health and environmental safety during and after abatement.

You can paint over lead paint, or “encapsulate” it with a special paint that includes an ingredient called an encapsulant. The EPA approves encapsulation as a lead paint removal method as long as the paint remains undisturbed. Standard types of paint without an “encapsulant” from the big box stores or hardware stores do not meet EPA standards for remediation of lead-based paint.

When a surface that contains lead dust is disturbed, the dust can float about in the air for roughly an hour before settling again. Since you cannot see the dust, it is important always to wear protective gear when working with any materials that may contain lead paint and to keep children, pets, and others away from the area for as long as possible