Does IDPH allow Composite Dust Sampling?

The State of Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) does not allow composite dust sampling as a standard practice for lead risk assessment. This means that samples must be collected individually from different areas of a home or environment to accurately assess lead dust levels. Composite sampling could potentially mask localized contamination hot spots by averaging dust samples from multiple sites. This could lead to a misunderstanding of the actual lead exposure risk in specific areas, especially in homes where lead contamination may not be uniform.

In risk assessment, accurate representation of lead presence is crucial for ensuring the safety and health of occupants. By requiring individual sampling, IDPH promotes a more thorough and precise evaluation of lead hazards, which is essential for effective intervention strategies and for accurately informing remediation efforts.

Options that suggest composite sampling is permissible under certain circumstances or only for specific types of samples do not align with IDPH's strict protocols, reinforcing the necessity of individual sampling for reliable lead risk assessment.