The EPA recently announced a final rule that lowers dust-lead hazard standards for floors and windowsills in pre-1978 housing and certain schools, child care facilities and hospitals. For floors, the standards are lowered from 40 to ten micrograms of lead per square foot; for windowsills the standards are lowered from 250 to 100 micrograms of lead per square foot. Any pre-1978 housing and certain schools, child care facilities and hospitals undergoing inspections, risk assessments and abatement activities must now test for the lower dust-lead hazard standards. The rule, and accompanying non-compliance fines, will become effective 180 days (about six months) after official publication in the Federal Register.