You are about to sand or scrape windows, doors or walls in an old house and wonder whether the old paint contains lead. Lead does harm mainly when it turns to dust and gets into the body. This guide says when to suspect it, what to do before sanding, and what we did not find: official Portuguese guidance for home owners.
Updated on 4 November 2026. General information; it does not replace an assessment by a technician or your doctor’s advice.
The essentials
- The danger is dust and paint chips. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists lead paint as a major source of exposure and names stripping leaded paint as a way of breathing it in.
- Young children may absorb up to 4 to 5 times more lead than adults from the same swallowed dose (WHO). In pregnancy, lead stored in bone can pass to the foetus.
- We found no Portuguese cut-off date. If in doubt in an old house, treat the paint as if it contained lead.
- Avoid dry sanding and burning. If you must disturb the paint, work wet, with suitable dust extraction and an FFP3 mask.
- Only a test gives certainty. Looks tell you nothing.
Why lead is a problem
The WHO fact sheet (updated 10 June 2026) says no safe blood lead level is known. In children, low levels may be linked to lower intelligence and to behaviour and learning difficulties. In pregnancy, lead can cause reduced foetal growth and preterm birth.
The WHO questions and answers (September 2024) explain that most cases of oral lead poisoning come from small amounts of dust, soil or flakes of lead paint. Children put hands and objects in their mouths.
What the law says in Europe and Portugal
| Rule | What we read | Reading status |
|---|---|---|
| REACH, Annex XVII, entries 16 and 17 | Bans lead carbonates and lead sulphates in paints. Member States may allow use for restoring works of art and historic buildings, taking ILO Convention 13 into account | Read in a European Chemicals Agency slide deck (2019). The EUR-Lex text did not open |
| Decreto-Lei 54/93 of 26 February (Decree-Law) | According to the site Quali.pt, bans the use and sale of lead carbonates and sulphates in paints | Cited through a third party, not read directly |
| ILO Convention 13 (1921) | White lead in painting. We could not confirm Portugal’s status | Not read |
As far as we read, these rules deal with paint that is sold and used. We found none that orders paint already on a wall to be removed. We also do not know whether they cover other lead pigments.
When to suspect it
We found no Portuguese source on when lead paint was used. The British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) writes that lead pigments were widely used until the 1960s and were removed from all commonly used paint only in the early 1980s. That is the UK. Do not apply it to Portugal without confirmation.
As a precaution, suspect old houses with many layers of paint, paint that peels or turns to dust when touched, and doors, windows and railings painted long ago.
How to test
- Test kit. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says a recognised kit, used by a trained professional, reliably shows that lead paint is not present when the result is negative. We did not check which kits are sold in Portugal or whether they are reliable.
- Inspector or laboratory. The EPA describes certified inspectors. In Portugal we found no list of laboratories or technicians for this.
- Blood test. According to the EPA, it is the only way to know whether someone already has lead poisoning. The WHO says that at 5 µg/dL or more the source should be identified and the exposure ended. Talk to your family doctor.
What to do before touching the paint
- Decide whether you need to scrape. The HSE advises limiting removal to paint that is flaking, chipping, giving off dust or putting children at risk. See peeling paint and stains.
- Keep out anyone who does not need to be there, especially children and pregnant women. The EPA even allows for moving out during the work. See preparing the home for painting.
- Seal off the area. The EPA asks for plastic sheeting on floors and furniture and closed doors and vents.
- Avoid what the EPA prohibits in work covered by its rule: open flame, sanders without HEPA vacuum extraction, and heat guns above about 593 °C (1100 °F). The HSE says to keep heat guns below 500 °C.
- Work wet. Misting the paint before scraping or sanding reduces dust (EPA). The HSE mentions wet abrasive paper and a scraper.
- Protect yourself. The HSE recommends a mask with protection factor 20, such as an FFP3, and says tight-fitting masks need a fit test and a clean-shaven face.
- Clean thoroughly. The EPA asks for a HEPA vacuum, then wet wiping and wet mopping with plenty of rinse water.
For big jobs, ask the painter how the dust will be controlled. See how to compare painting quotes. If the home is rented, see painting before renting or selling.
Children and pregnant women
The EPA advises washing children’s hands, pacifiers and toys often, cleaning floors and window sills regularly and wiping shoes at the door.
What we could not confirm
- Official Portuguese guidance (DGS, INSA, SNS 24, APA, ACT) on lead paint in old homes: we searched and found none.
- When lead paint stopped being used in Portugal, and which pigments other than carbonates and sulphates stayed in use.
- The text of Decreto-Lei 54/93 and of REACH entries 16 and 17 on EUR-Lex: they did not open.
- Where to get tested in Portugal, the cost, and whether kits on sale are reliable.
- Workplace safety rules for professional painters: not read.
- EPA and HSE rules apply in the US and the UK. We use them only as a reference.
Sources (read on 4 November 2026)
- World Health Organization, Lead poisoning, updated 10 June 2026 (paint, children, pregnancy, 5 µg/dL level).
- WHO, Chemical safety: lead poisoning (questions and answers), 7 September 2024 (dust, soil and paint flakes).
- European Chemicals Agency, slide deck EU Restrictions: Lead in paints, 19 March 2019 (REACH entries 16 and 17). The regulation on EUR-Lex was not opened.
- Quali.pt, Chumbo (Pb) (cites Decreto-Lei 54/93; unofficial site). The decree was not read: the copy on dre.tretas.org asked for a robot check and we did not bypass it.
- EPA, The Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right, April 2010 (work practices, kits, cleaning) and Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (test kits, pre-1978 homes).
- Health and Safety Executive (UK), Lead (periods, wet methods, mask, temperature).
- ILO Convention 13: the NORMLEX site refused access (403); seen only through search results. Not cited as read.