Long Beach Public Health Laboratory Now Offering Accredited Environmental Lead Testing Services

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PRESS RELEASE

Above: A Long Beach Health Department laboratory staff member conducts lab testing.

Long Beach, CA - The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services' (Health Department) Public Health Laboratory is now offering accredited environmental lead testing services to provide residents, businesses and organizations with a new resource to identify lead hazards in the environment. The Long Beach Public Health Laboratory is the only local public health laboratory in California currently offering environmental lead testing. The laboratory received accreditation earlier this year for environmental lead analysis.

"Lead is a toxic substance that poses serious risks to families, especially those with young children," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Ensuring access to lead testing is essential to protecting public health in Long Beach. I'm proud to see this important service available so residents can identify hidden hazards and access the resources they need, particularly in vulnerable communities."

The laboratory can analyze four types of environmental samples:

• Air filters: Evaluate airborne lead generated during renovation, demolition, lead abatement or industrial activities.
• Dust wipes: Identify lead-containing dust on floors, windowsills, window troughs and countertops.
• Paint chips: Determine whether painted surfaces contain lead during hazard assessments, renovations and inspections.
• Soil: Identify lead contamination in residential, commercial and public areas, including playgrounds and gardens.

Environmental lead testing can help identify hazards in homes, workplaces, schools, childcare facilities and other community settings. Lead exposure can have serious health effects, particularly for young children and pregnant people, making timely and reliable testing an important tool for preventing exposure.

Testing services are available to residents, businesses, contractors, government agencies, property owners and environmental professionals throughout the region. Sample submission requirements, testing fees, collection instructions and turnaround times are available from the Long Beach Public Health Laboratory. The cost of testing is $18 per sample for governmental agencies and $30 per sample for private submitters.

"Accurate lead testing is essential to protecting public health, especially for children and families who may be exposed to hidden environmental hazards," said Alison King, Director of Health and Human Services. "This accredited service expands our ability to identify environmental lead hazards and support efforts to create safer, healthier environments across Long Beach and the surrounding region."

The new testing service complements the Health Department's broader lead prevention and response efforts. The Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) provides services to eligible families of children with lead poisoning, including case management and in-home environmental assessments that may include collecting samples for laboratory testing.

The Bureau of Environmental Health's Lead-Based Paint Program works to prevent childhood lead poisoning through education, investigation and enforcement. The City also administers a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded Lead Hazard Reduction Program that addresses lead-based paint hazards in qualifying pre-1978 affordable housing in targeted high-risk areas of Long Beach.

Residents and organizations interested in Environmental Lead Testing Services, including information about sample submission requirements, testing fees, collection instructions and turnaround times, may contact the Long Beach Public Health Laboratory at 562.570.4080 or [email protected]. Additional information is available at longbeach.gov/labservices.

Information about the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is available by calling 562.570.4564 or emailing [email protected]. For information about the Environmental Health Lead Hazard Program, call 562.570.4488.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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