Who We Are: The Environmental Management Department (EMD) is a regulatory agency, operating within the Cities and County of Sacramento. EMD's mission is to protect public health and the environment by ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. EMD's Environmental Health Division currently serves as the investigation entity for the local Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP), administered by the Sacramento County Department of Health Services (DHS).
The CLPPP provides services to the community for the purpose of increasing awareness about lead hazards, ways to reduce lead exposure, and strategies to increase the number of children appropriately screened for lead poisoning.
The CLPPP and EMD partner to eliminate childhood lead poisoning by identifying and reducing lead hazards where children live, play, learn and spend time and by providing equitable care for families who are lead poisoned by providing integrated case management and environmental services.
What We Do: The EMD lead team investigates cases involving elevated blood levels in children, lead hazard complaints, and provides outreach and education to other local enforcement agencies.
About Lead: Lead is a metal found in the earth that has been used by people for centuries. Lead has been used in many products such as paints, gasoline, plumbing structures, crystal, ceramic glazes, batteries, jewelry, cosmetics, home remedies, ceremonial items, and much more.
Lead is also a poison that is dangerous to you and your family. Lead paint dust is easy to inhale or even swallow and is currently the main source of lead exposure among children. It can cause serious health problems, especially in young children, pregnant women, and women of child-bearing age.
Answers to lead frequently asked questions.
Disturbing Painted Surfaces in a pre-1978 building
If the building was constructed before 1978, a renovation project can create dangerous lead dust. The lead dust can easily contaminate the interior and exterior of the property, including the soil. This is one of the most common ways children are exposed to lead. The older the home, the more likely it is to have lead. Lead dust is easy to inhale or swallow. Even low levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially in young children, pregnant women, and women of child-bearing age.
Sacramento County strongly encourages anyone pursuing renovations in a pre-1978 home to use a certified lead professional. However, if you plan to do-it-yourself (DIY), there are simple, important steps you should take to keep yourself and others safe during and after the renovation.
Report Unsafe Lead-Work Practices
Tips, complaints, and referrals from the public are important to the CLPPP team and can help identify violations of law or regulation.
Unsafe Work Practices May Include:
- Dry Sanding/Scraping: These methods, without proper containment and dust control, can create airborne lead dust that workers and others can inhale.
- Hydro-blasting/Pressure Washing without Containment: These methods can dislodge lead-containing materials and create contaminated runoff if not properly contained.
- Machine Sanding/Grinding without Containment: Using machines to sand or grind surfaces without proper containment can lead to the widespread dispersal of lead dust.
- Abrasive/Sand Blasting without Containment: This practice can create a cloud of lead dust, posing a serious health risk.
- Using High-Heat Methods: Using propane torches, high-temperature heat guns, or belt sanders to remove lead-based paint can create lead fumes and dust, increasing the risk of exposure.
- Open Flame Burning or Torching: This practice can release lead fumes and dust into the air, posing a significant health hazard.
- Not using proper personal protective equipment (PPE): Workers should wear appropriate PPE, such as respirators, coveralls, and gloves, when working with lead.
- Not cleaning up lead dust properly: After working with lead, employers must ensure that the work area is cleaned thoroughly using wet cleaning methods or a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
Report unsafe lead-work practices. If you see peeling or chipping paint on pre-1978 building, call 3-1-1 or visit Sac County 311 Connect to report it.
Local, State and National Resources for Childhood Lead Poisoning
County of Sacramento
Environmental Management Department: - EH (lead in paint; lead inspections & abatement information)
Department of Health Services: CLPPP (Lead in food or non-housing items, no cost child health exam including blood lead testing for children of low-income families)
State of California
National
Help Keep your Family & Sacramento County Lead Safe. For more information, contact the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (916) 875-7151.
Sacramento County Environmental Management Department
Environmental Health Division
11080 White Rock Rd., Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
emdinfo@saccounty.gov
