The United States Environmental Protection Agency has declared lead to be “a major environmental health threat” for children.
Lead poisoning may impact the brain development of young children and can even harm the developing brain of a fetus in the final weeks of a pregnancy. The injuries to the nervous system and other organs can lead to significant challenges for the growing child in areas like reading and behavior. Little bodies can’t handle toxic burdens like adult bodies and more often sustain lasting injury.
With education, awareness, and action, parents and others can prevent lead poisoning in their loved ones and themselves. CEP’s free Lead Poisoning Prevention workshops are designed to provide this education, generate awareness and enable action through the provision of superior information and resources for the average citizen. Workshops are offered city-wide and year-round.
Community Energy Project offers two levels of lead poisoning prevention workshops, each with free safety kits for qualified participants.
To register, sign up on our calendar page, or call 503.284.6827 x109 or email Lead@CommunityEnergyProject.org
Lead Poisoning Prevention Workshop
This introductory class is perfect for those living in a home built before 1978 who want to know more about lead and basic poisoning prevention methods.
- How to protect you and your family from the dangerous affects of lead on the body
- Sources of lead in the home
- Information and resources on blood-lead testing and screening items for lead
- Prevention strategies and lead safe cleaning
- Connections to related resources
Qualified participants receive a free safety kit which includes lead-safe cleaning supplies and testing materials, as well as the opportunity borrow a sealed HEPA vacuum.
Lead-Safe Home Projects Workshop
This basic class is great for people who want to do a small project that may involve exposure to lead paint, such as sanding down an old window frame or a reused door with potential lead paint.
- Basic background on history and uses of lead
- Project planning and preparation
- Lead-Safe work techniques
- Project cleanup and dust testing of area
- Connections to related resources
The kit for qualified participants includes a starter kit for lead-safe work practices and testing materials, as well as the opportunity borrow a HEPA vacuum.
HEPA Vacuum Lending Program
Once you attend either a Lead Poisoning Prevention or Lead-Safe Home Projects Workshop, you are eligible to borrow a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum, meaning you will have access to the same type of clean-up tool used by professionals. Loans are available for up to 2 weeks and are completely free. If you have not attended a workshop, we ask that you go to our online calendar and register for an upcoming lead workshop prior to requesting a unit OR contact our Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Coordinator at 503.284.6827 x109 or lead@communityenergyproject.org to set up a one-on-one appointment to review crucial lead poisoning prevention information.
Due to the popularity of the program, we ask that you put in a request for the HEPA unit using the form below 2 weeks prior to when you would like to use the vacuum. You will be added to our wait list based in the order received.
Each household is able to borrow a vacuum twice per year. Exceptions to this may be made at the discretion of the Program Coordinator, based on staffing and supplies at the time of the request.
For information regarding preparing a project area for HEPA cleaning, please consult our Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Coordinator at 503.284.6827 x109 or lead@communityenergyproject.org.
To request a HEPA unit, please fill out the form below:
Thank you.