Has anybody come across lead carbonate in plaster? We recently had a renovation project in a late 1960s building where several walls with plaster applied directly to concrete block were removed. The contractor claims that he had the plaster tested and it was found to contain 17% lead carbonate. Luckily, it’s not a residence or child-occupied facility.
A quick Web search seems to indicate lead carbonate is a component of pigment once used in paint, so that could possibly be the source of the lead content found in the test. It is apparently a white powder substance, so it’s possible it was also added to plaster mixes for some reason – perhaps for a “whitening” effect.
I have been involved w/ a number of projects that included abatement of lead-based paint, but have never heard of lead content in plaster.
He just happened to have demolished plaster tested? For what? Has he provided you with any test results??