Important Updates on January 12, 2026: New EPA Dust-Lead Standards and Regulations

Starting January 12, 2026, the EPA is lowering the allowable lead dust levels that must be met after lead abatement or cleanup in homes and child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Under the new rules, floors must be at or below 5 micrograms of lead per square foot (µg/ft²), interior window sills must be at or below 40 µg/ft², and window troughs must be at or below 100 µg/ft².

These limits are called Dust-Lead Action Levels (DLAL), and they represent the maximum amount of lead dust that can remain on surfaces for a property to pass clearance testing. These limits are significantly stricter than the previous standards, which allowed 10 µg/ft² on floors, 100 µg/ft² on window sills, and 400 µg/ft² in window troughs.

What this means in practical terms is that lead dust testing is now more sensitive, and cleanup must be more thorough to pass. Properties that may have passed clearance testing in the past could fail under the new action levels if lead dust remains above these lower limits. Anyone planning lead abatement, renovation, or clearance testing in 2026 and beyond should ensure their work meets these updated numeric standards.