As I travel internationally and educate many on how to simply deal with solid hazardous materials and safely contain them with green coatings I’m always amazed how differently countries look at situations with building products and how to handle them.

Even though we have the internet with vast amounts information rapidly available it seems that it either doesn’t get accessed or payed attention to. It’s stunning how one country can have such a strong and passionate stance on an issue such as with hazardous materials and another country can have a contrasting if not completely opposite take on the same issue. Also, interesting how two similar countries can deal with the same acknowledged challenges differently.

For example, take two scientifically advanced and progressive countries such as USA and what I’ll call country #2 (Insert any one of dozens). Both work closely on many important issues. It is surprising how differently they deal with the issue of lead in paints and the exposure to people as the paint ages and breaks down.

Since 1978 the USA has outlawed lead in paint due to the scientific evidence showing that as lead-based paint breaks down it can be inhaled, ingested and absorbed by humans causing immediate and long term damage. While country #2 still manufactures, and uses lead in paints despite the scientific evidence showing its harmful effects on humans.

Unlike exposure to other building hazardous materials such as asbestos that can take a long time to spread and show up, lead can be detected very quickly with a simple blood test. This swift test can result in showing elevated blood levels of lead in the blood stream. So, it is a mystery to me as to why a known toxic material would be in continued use after decades of information being available stating that the substance is unsafe and should be removed from products.

I may be able to understand if there is no other replacement for the offending materials, but that is not the case specifically with lead in paints. For decades now there have been safe replacement ingredients for paints. Actually, superior ingredients that make products perform better and are preferable for the environment.

In the USA, even though lead was removed from paint in 1978 millions of structures still contain leaded paint that continues to break down, get released into the environment and expose countless to its dangers, many times to unsuspecting individuals that absorb the lead and suffer the consequences of that exposure.

I continue to educate all on how even if there is lead paint present in your buildings or structures it can be safely contained and controlled with the right simply applied protective coatings. This easy method of containment with coatings, sealing in harmful materials is used all the time with many types of potentially harmful materials, such as asbestos, solid PCB’s and other hazardous along with waterproofing exterior building surfaces including roofs.

We have all types of potentially dangerous materials that we safely utilize and live with, applying the same method of in-place management. Let’s look at the worldwide use of electricity that has improved all of lives and cannot be done without. This needed form of energy is also very dangerous left unchecked or simply uncovered. We safely deal with this by making sure that it is securely covered most often with a quality protective coating. An approved coating that brings that electric current into our everyday lives and often in direct contact with people and their contents. If electricity is not safely and simply managed with coatings that cover the wires that unchecked power can electrocute people, burn down buildings and cause considerable damage.

This is another case where quality matters and you don’t want cheap materials/coatings to be used. This is especially true dealing with hazardous materials where their containment is critical for protecting people and the environment.

Gasoline in our vehicles is another case where people worldwide safely deal with a potentially hazardous and dangerous material. It also is another case where you would not want cheap materials used to make gasoline tanks.

So, I believe that even though we have hazardous materials such as lead-based paint, asbestos, etc., in our lives we can safely deal with them by the simple application of the right sustainable, protective coatings to safely manage them in-place.


To learn more about safe in-place management of hazardous materials with green coatings encasement as well as waterproofing buildings including roofs contact me here at: https://encasementguy.com/hire-encasement-guy-consulting-contracting