Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

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New York State Lead Rental Registry Law is in effect as of 2025.

The Lead Rental Registryis a proactive inspection program to prevent lead poisoning in 25 communities of concern throughout New York. Public Health Law 1377 affects rental properties with 2 or more units, built before 1980 in 10977. Each property must be registered, inspected, and certified lead safe every 3 years.

Click here to register your property

If you have trouble registering because of technology or language, please contact us.

Schedule a free lead inspection:
Email LeadFreeKids@co.rockland.ny.us or Call 845-364-3305

Lead hazards at these rental properties must be fixed. Rockland County awards NYS grants up to $40,000 per unit, and HUD grants up to $75,000 per unit to eliminate lead hazards, including window and door replacement. Please contact us to learn more.

Visit the NYSDOH website to learn more about Lead Rental Registry.

children and lead paint

The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) is a grant-funded program that prevents and treats lead poisoning in children up to age 18.

lead sources pie chart No amount of lead is safe for children. Lead is a metal that can interfere with a child's growth, behavior, ability to learn, and can cause problems like anemia, kidney damage, and hearing loss. Lead can be found in many places, including dust, water, soil, and in some products used in our homes. (Sources of lead- English, Spanish, Haitian Creole).

Children younger than 6 years old at the highest risk for lead poisoning. Most young children get lead poisoning from breathing in or swallowing dust from old lead paint, which can collect on floors, windowsills, hands, and toys. Lead can also pass from a pregnant mother to her baby.

Home Assessments

RCDOH conducts environmental lead investigations for Rockland County Lead Free Kids children with a blood lead level 5µg/dL or higher, and in homes built before 1980. These investigations help identify where lead may be coming from. A Lead Risk Assessor will visit the child's home or other places the child spends time. Environmental investigations may include a visual inspection, paint testing, water sampling, and dust sampling.

Based on the results of the environmental lead investigation, the Lead Risk Assessor will provide the owner or landlord with recommendations on how to address lead hazards found in the home.

Schedule a free inspection or ask questions at LeadFreeKids@co.rockland.ny.us or 845-364-3305.

Ways to Prevent Lead Poisoning

Prevention

Keep children away from peeling paint, broken plaster, and away from remodeling and renovation sites. Old paint can have lead in it.
Before making repairs in a home built before 1978, learn how to work safely and keep dust levels down. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides many brochures and guides on working lead safe.
Wash your child's hands and face after play, before meals, and before bed to rinse off any lead dust or dirt.
Wash toys, stuffed animals, pacifiers, and bottles with soap and water often.
Mop floors often, and use damp paper towels to clean window wells and sills.
Use cold water, not hot, for infant formula or cooking. Let the water run for at least a minute before using to flush out lead from old plumbing.
Avoid using herbs, spices, medicines, and cosmetics imported from the Middle East, Latin America, India, and China. Visit the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to learn more about lead in food and foodwares.
Store food from open cans in glass or plastic containers.
Avoid using dishes and pottery from Latin America, India, and China, which may have lead in their glazes. Don't use chipped or cracked dishes to store or serve food.
Don't bring lead home with you from work. People who work at construction, plumbing, painting, and certain other jobs can be exposed to lead.
Wash work clothes separately.
Be careful with your hobbies. Some crafts call for use of paints, glazes, and solder, which may contain lead. Learn more about possible lead dangers while working on a hobby.
Avoid having children play in soil especially around the foundation of old buildings and near roadways. Use a sandbox instead.

Nutrition

When there is nutritious food in the body, it is difficult for lead to be absorbed.
Eat a variety of these nutritious foods:

More information on good nutrition tips to help reduce the effects of lead are available in English, Spanish, and Yiddish.

Blood Lead Level & Testing

Blood Lead Level

A blood lead test tells you how much lead is in your child's blood. The lower the test result, the better. A test result 5 µg/dL or higher using blood from a fingertip should be checked again with a second test, using blood taken from a vein (often in the arm). If the second result is still high, you should follow the steps below.

More information on blood lead test results are available in Chinese, English, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Yiddish.

Lead Screening for Children

New York State law requires doctors to:

test all children at age 1 and again at age 2 with a blood lead test.
at every well child visit, assess all children ages 6 months to 6 years for risk of lead exposure. Also get a blood lead test if children have had contact with lead.
report point-of-care blood lead test results to the NYSDOH in accordance with guidance.
give the child's parent or guardian the result of the blood lead test.
provide anticipatory guidance to all parents or guardians of children as part of routine care, which may include the Lead Poisoning is a Danger for Every Baby and Child.

Children age 36 to 72 months of age with a history of blood lead levels of 5 µg/dL or greater should receive follow-up blood lead testing annually.

Lead Screening for Childcare and Pre-Schools

New York State law requires each childcare provider licensed, certified, or approved by any state or local agency to:

prior to or within 3 months of initial enrollment, obtain a copy of a certificate of lead screening for any child at least 1 year of age but under 6 years of age, and retain such document until one year after the child is no longer enrolled.
when no documentation of lead screening exists, the child shall not be excluded from attending preschool or childcare; however the childcare provider, principal, teacher, owner, or person in charge shall provide the parent or guardian of the child with information on lead poisoning and lead poisoning prevention, and refer the parent or guardian to the child's primary health care provider to obtain a blood lead test.

Home Repairs & Remodeling

Most lead exposure comes from peeling paint and dust in homes built before 1980. lead paint

Free Lead Remediation Grants

Rockland County helps property owners eliminate lead, replace windows and doors.
Funding is available for rental properties and owner-occupied homes.

NYS- Homes & Community Renewal grant- up to $40,000 per unit
HUD- Lead Hazard Reduction grant- up to $75,000 per unit

Visit Rockland County Office of Community Development to apply;
contact rcocd_lead@co.rockland.ny.us or 845-364-3937 with questions.

Landlords and Contractors
EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule:

lead-safe certified contractors must be used for projects that disturb lead paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978.
property managers who rent all or part of a home, operate a child care center in a home, or buy, renovate, and sell homes for profit (e.g., a house flipper) must be certified.
contractors should be familiar with RRP and give their clients the Renovate Right pamphlet.

EPA Lead Abatement rules apply to permanent repairs, like replacing windows and doors. Contractors need EPA certification to perform these jobs.

Use the EPA Search tool to find certified contractors.

Free EPA Lead certification courses

RCDOH offers FREE EPA Lead certification courses for homeowners, landlords, and contractors. Select links below to register and view class dates:

Lead Abatement Supervisor
Lead Renovation, Repair & Painting (RRP)

Please visit Office of Consumer Protection to obtain a Rockland County Home Improvement Contractor license.

Homeowners

Hiring a lead-safe certified contractor when doing renovation, repair, and painting projects in older homes is recommended.
Work smart, work wet, and work clean to reduce lead dust.
Replace building components if possible.
Download the Home Repairs & Renovations brochure for more tips.

Drinking Water

For general information about sources of lead in drinking water and how you can reduce levels visit NYSDOH website.

Private Well Testing

New York State Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) labs are certified to perform lead testing on private wells. Find an ELAP certified lab near you.

Schools and Childcare Facilities

Since 2016, New York State law has required public schools and BOCES to test drinking water for lead and prevent exposure from faucets with high levels. The NYSDOH website provides more information on the law, testing requirements, test results, and guidance manuals for lead in drinking water.

Pregnancy & Lactation

What you need to know:
Lead can hurt pregnant women and their developing fetuses. It can damage the brain, kidneys, nerves and other parts of the body. It can make it hard to get pregnant, and cause miscarriage or stillbirth. Lead can affect children’s behavior and make it harder for them to learn.

Lead can be stored in a person’s body for years, and then passed from the pregnant person to baby. A product can contain lead, even if it is not listed as an ingredient.

What you can do:
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, ask your health care provider about a blood lead test.

If you have ever had a blood lead test result of 5 µg/dL or above, your new baby should get a lead test before leaving the hospital.

Resist the urge to eat nonfood items. Chalk, dirt, and pottery can contain lead.

What is my lead risk? If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, ask your doctor about a blood lead test.

Do you live in a home or apartment built before 1978?
Have there been any recent home improvements or repairs where you live?
Were you born, or have you ever lived, in another country?
Do you use medicines, supplements, cosmetics, or spices from another country?
Do you or someone with whom you live have a job (such as construction) or hobby (such as stained glass or making bullets) than can bring you into contact with lead?
Do you use pottery that was made in another country, painted china, or leaded glass?
Have you ever eaten or chewed crushed pottery, soil, paint chips, clay, or other things that aren't food?

Visit NYSDOH for more information, resources, and recommendations for pregnant and lactating mothers.

pregnant mother