Q. How does LockUpLead™ work?

A. LockUpLead™ is revolutionary household lead neutralizer made of a patented combination of food-grade ingredients that react with lead dust on contact to render it non-hazardous.  When lead dust enters the human body, it is absorbed into the blood stream where it attaches to proteins that carry it to different tissues or organ systems in the body. Lead cannot be transformed into something else once it is in the body, and it cannot be destroyed. It is a cumulative poison, and will stay in the body—and impact health—for a long time.

Untreated lead-based paint dust is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs and small intestines, where it eventually settles into bones.  Lead leaches back into the bloodstream whenever bones release calcium — such as during pregnancy or breast-feeding.  Lead-based paint dust treated with LockUpLead is not easily absorbed.  Most of it passes harmlessly through the body.

Clinical tests by industry experts show that lead dust treated with LockUpLead Lead Neutralizer drops the amount of lead that would be bioaccessible (the ability to interact with and be absorbed by an organism) by over 80%. Proven, safe, easy to use, and cost-effective, LockUpLead greatly reduces the toxicity of lead dust, creating clean, safe surfaces where children live and play.

Taking a few, simple steps when handling lead-based paint, as well as employing a regular cleaning regimen using LockUpLead instead of general household cleaners, is very effective in reducing the risk of lead poisoning to your children.

Q. Does LockUpLead penetrate layers of paint to make lead paint left in place non-toxic?

A. No. If lead-based paint is undisturbed, there is no need to treat underlying layers. However, if the lead-based paint chips or flakes, there is a risk that invisible lead paint dust will be created and scatter throughout the area creating a toxic lead hazard.  LockUpLead is specifically designed to detoxify the lead dust on contact by changing the lead’s chemical makeup making it much less hazardous.  LockUpLead  also helps reduce dust created during repair and renovation and to effectively detoxify the lead dust generated by these activities. The key to “safe lead practices” is to control lead dust creation, contain lead dust, and clean up lead dust.  By following these simple steps, you can keep your family safe from the risk of lead poisoning.

Q. Do I need to remove all of the lead paint from my home or school if they were built before 1978?

A. No. It would be virtually impossible to remove the lead paint from all of the pre-1978 homes and buildings because over  2/3 of all buildings in the USA were built before 1978.  Lead paint in a building is a potential hazard if handled improperly, but only becomes an actual hazard to humans when it is ingested or by breathing the lead dust. Avoid disturbing surfaces that contain lead paint whenever possible, and always use LockUpLead and safe-lead practices ( see www.epa.gov/lead ) whenever lead paint is disturbed through remodeling, repair or renovations.  LockUpLead can also be used in communities where vacant properties exist that may have leaded paint flaking or peeling.  These situations become hazardous to surrounding neighborhoods because lead dust can be scattered onto other properties every time the wind blows.  Using LockUpLead as a “stabilizer” for these hazardous properties will protect the surrounding environment from toxic lead dust and decrease the risk of lead poisoning for neighborhood children.

Q.  My house was built before 1978 and sometimes there are small chips around the woodwork  or doors from regular “wear and tear”.  Should I use LockUpLead even if I’m not renovating?

A.  Yes.  LockUpLead can be used routinely when you find areas of chipped or nicked paint.  This “stabilizes” the chipped area of ”disturbed” lead paint making it non-toxic until it can be repaired or repainted.  Use LockUpLead as a “band-aid” whenever you find chipped lead-based paint.  Simply spray on and let dry.

Q. How can LockUpLead be effective around older windows and doors if no repair or renovation is occurring?

A. Because friction surfaces like windows can generate lead-based dust (even if it has non-lead paint covering older layers), simply by opening and closing, these areas of a building are a particular focus for lead safety. Care should be taken in the maintenance of a pre-1978 building where lead paint may exist. Frequent cleaning of areas such as window sills with LockUpLead greatly reduces the possibility of lead dust spreading onto floors or into ventilation systems where children can get exposed by getting the lead dust on their clothes or hands. LockUpLead is the only lead neutralizer of its kind – effective at containing and cleaning lead dust, and, actually reacting with the dust to form nonhazardous waste. LockUpLead is made with safe, food-grade chemicals, so there is no risk of exposing your family to dangerous fumes or harsh chemicals.

Q. How would I use LockUpLead during a renovation on a pre-1978 home?

A. Physically, LockUpLead speeds up wet-sanding and wet-scraping, and stays wet much longer than water for improved workability. As the lead-based paint is scraped, the amount of dust is reduced  dramatically. Chemically, LockUpLead converts the scraped residue to a non-hazardous material.

Q. How about misting plastic drop cloths to control lead dust? Why not just use water?

A. The process of misting with water may help “keep the dust down”, but does not deal with the toxicity of the dust.  LockUpLead is designed to immobilize the lead compound. It “locks it up” into a compound that is insoluble, thus greatly reducing its ability to leach into ground water.  By using LockUpLead for misting, you avoid the risk of dust-contaminated water actually washing dust and chips off of the drop cloth and into the surrounding area or soil. LockUpLead dries with a light film that actually sticks the dust and chips to the drop cloth even after drying to help avoid spills during work and when disposing of plastic drops.  Protect your workers and families from accidental spills due to wind or human factors by misting drop cloths with LockUpLead.

Q.  Should LockUpLead be used during demolition projects?

A.   Demolition can be a major health risk for workers and neighborhoods.  When leaded paint is disturbed, as in demolition, it is exposed in the form of lead dust and chips, creating a toxic environment for demo workers and the surrounding neighborhoods.  Spraying with water during demolition helps “keep the dust down,” but does not deal with the toxicity of lead-laced dust. LockUpLead is designed to not only physically suppress the dust, but it also permanently detoxify the dust.