US environmental regulators just made it easier to find lead in old buildings

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lowered the official levels for what counts as a lead hazard in dust. This means that much smaller amounts of lead dust will now trigger mandatory cleanup actions in homes and other buildings.

For decades, the official lead hazard levels were set high enough that many contaminated properties were not considered a problem. Now, any detectable amount of lead dust will be considered a hazard, forcing property owners to act. This change will likely increase the number of properties requiring lead abatement, especially in older housing stock.