This report updates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency technical report, Review of Studies Addressing Lead Abatement Effectiveness (EPA 747-R-95-006, July 1995), which summarized the results of 16 lead hazard intervention studies. The original edition presented results indicating that lead hazard interventions could reduce the blood-lead concentrations of exposed children. However, only a limited variety of intervention strategies were documented in the available literature and a number of data 'gaps' were identified. Strategies seeking to prevent a child from being exposed to the lead in her or his surrounding environment continue to be studied and their resulting effectiveness is being reported in the scientific literature. This updated report summarizes 19 additional studies available in the scientific literature. In deriving the conclusions and recommendations cited in this updated report, all the available published data were considered. The combined review presented herein was intended to aid in assessing the potential benefits of rule-making under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Title IV, and, particularly, the Section 403 rule on lead hazards in paint, dust, and soil. In this report, a lead hazard intervention is defined as any non-medical activity that seeks to prevent a child from being exposed to the lead in his or her surrounding environment. The literature on lead hazard intervention efficacy focuses on impeding the hand-to-mouth pathway of childhood exposure to environmental lead sources by either abatement or interim controls. Abatement encompasses interventions that remove or permanently cover lead-based paint or soil that contains lead. In contrast, interim controls may include paint stabilization (removal of only deteriorated lead-based paint) or abatement of lead-containing dust, but the lead source is not removed (e.g., intact lead-based paint or soil with elevated lead levels). Interim controls are attractive in some cases because of their low up-front cost relative to many abatement techniques. This report also reviews the literature on educational interventions.

"[Prepared] for Technical Programs Branch, Chemical Management Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." "December 1998." Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-105). "EPA 747-B-98-001."