EPA Initiative to Reduce Lead Exposure Includes Underserved Communities in Puerto Rico

Nov. 22, 2021

Zimmetry Environmental provides lead and other heavy metal testing services to protect families and workers from these and many other potential hazards.

Bayamon, Puerto Rico, November 22nd, 2021 -- Earlier this fall, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the training and outreach initiative, Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach (ELSWPEO). These efforts are meant to raise awareness about childhood lead exposure and protect environmentally overburdened and underserved communities across the United States from lead exposure.

According to an EPA announcement on the new initiative:

Many homes, apartments and child-care facilities built before 1978 contain lead-based paint. When disturbed, lead-based paint can release toxic lead dust and cause lead exposure, which is particularly harmful to children. While lead is dangerous to all children, lead exposure disproportionately impacts low-income families and their communities, making the free trainings offered by ELSWPEO an important step toward achieving environmental justice.

Part of the EPA program encourages renovation, repair and painting (RRP) firms and contractors working on pre-1978 homes to become RRP certified. Anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 per the Lead RRP Rule must be certified, and this training is designed to equip contractors and firms with the tools they need to serve their communities and adhere to the Lead RRP Rule. These efforts included multiple Spanish-language RRP training sessions that took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico early this month and throughout October.

Over the past two months the initiative also included online Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions for community leaders. EPA offered free Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions, in English with simultaneous Spanish interpretation, designed to equip community leaders with the tools and resources needed to educate their communities about lead, lead exposure and actions that can be taken to reduce and prevent childhood lead exposure, including hiring RRP certified contractors.

“EPA’s efforts to educate and train community leaders and contractors about lead hazards is welcome news in Puerto Rico, especially since so much of the housing on the islands was constructed before the 1978 ban on lead-based paints,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Since opening the doors of Zimmetry almost 20 years ago, our environmental and industrial hygiene professionals have also been working to protect families, students and workers from exposure hazards to lead and other dangerous substances. Zimmetry provides consulting, training, testing and inspection services to identify and mitigate exposure hazards in compliance with all existing regulations.”

To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their lead, indoor air quality, environmental, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com.

About Zimmetry Environmental

Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.