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SUBJECT: Ceramic Tile Lead Hazards and Miscellaneous Other Lead Risks in Residential Remodeling and Construction

I am a builder-remodeler in Houston, Texas. Several months ago I contracted to demolish an existing ceramic tile shower in a house and to install a new ceramic tile shower. I have done many such jobs, so I thought I fully understood all of the environmental concerns. The old shower had a lead pan under it. This pan is a continuous piece of sheet lead, which is installed under the ceramic tile floor so as to form a waterproof barrier. I instructed the tile contractor to remove it intact and to not grind or heat it so as to produce either a dust or vapor. After the demolition was finished the homeowner asked me to test the concrete slab under the old shower for the presence of lead. She was especially concerned about lead because she had an eighteen month-old child. I used the swabs from a LEAD CHECK home lead test kit. I felt confident that all of readings would be negative. To my surprise, the reading on the slab indicated the presence of lead. Read More

Source: Ceramic Tile Institute of America, www.ctioa.org/reports/fr79.html