According to the EPA, approved test kits for the Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) Rule have a failure rate of between 22.5 percent and 84 percent. I think we can all agree that this failure rate is unacceptable and unproductive.

The good news is that, in mid-July, the House Appropriations Committee voted to approve funding a bill for LRRP in fiscal year 2015, which begins October 1. But, it came with a condition. If the commercially available test kit doesn’t meet a failure rate – or false positive rate – of less than 10 percent, enforcement of the LRRP rule could be defunded.

The WDMA continues to be a great advocate for our industry, supporting the good intentions of the LRRP, while looking out for the fiscal downfalls that could come from so many “false positives.” They do an excellent job of outlining the benefits and challenges of the LRRP Rule in their fact sheet. I encourage everyone with a stake in this issue to check it out and become involved. WDMA members with questions may also contact bgann@wdma.com.

The View from Here is that without proper test kits, it is difficult to support LRRP’s implementation. Unfortunately, with only a few days of scheduled business left before the end of the 113^th Congress and midterm elections dominating the agenda, any immediate action is unlikely. Our greatest hope is that if we can unite as an industry, we can do our part to make the 114^th more productive and work for us.

What’s your view? Leave a comment or email me directly at eric.jackson@quanex.com.