NEW EPA RULE AIMS TO GET THE LEAD OUT

A proposed rule by the Environmental Protection Agency would modify the current definition of lead-free plumbing products. Congress passed new legislation that prohibits the use of plumbing products that contain more than 0.25% lead. Lead can still be found in small amounts in piping, fixtures and fitting, but the new legislation further reduces the permissible lead level for plumbing used in drinking water systems. Unfortunately, the statute also creates exceptions to the lead-free requirements for some plumbing products that are not intended for use in drinking water systems. According to the EPA, these exemptions make it necessary to clearly distinguish between products that are intended for use with drinking water and products that are not intended to carry potable water.

Lead free plumbing parts would be labeled
The EPA’s new regulations would require plumbing manufacturers to positively identify plumbing products that meet or exceed the new regulations, and to certify that their products conform to the regulations. According to the EPA, the purpose of the new required label is to reduce the likelihood that non-conforming plumbing products – those that are exempt from lead content requirements – will be used in drinking water systems.

Currently, there is no mandatory federal requirement for testing to verify that plumbing products are lead-free. Many off-the-shelf products are – in fact – lead-free, but they may or may not be labeled as such. Eight third-party testing firms currently certify plumbing products as being lead-free. Their tests confirm that “lead-free” products are actually lead-free. Each of these testing firms has its own lead-free certification mark. Under the proposed regulations, all certified lead-free plumbing products will use a uniform labeling system to identify lead-free products. Unlabeled products will be assumed to be non-conforming. The EPA’s public comment period on the proposed new lead-free designation is open until April 17, 2017. If you would like to review the proposed regulations, or make a comment on the changes, you can visit the EPA website.

If you have lead plumbing products in your home, or you’re not sure, please give us a call at Boston Standard Plumbing at (617) 362-0377 . We can inspect and replace plumbing components with certified lead free plumbing products.
Photo Credit: Richard King, via Flickr.com

Categories:
DIY Blog, DIY Plumbing, News, Plumbing

Skip to content