LEBANON, IN -Festool says its vacuum CT Dust Extractors shipped to dealers this month are certified fully HEPA compliant with EPA lead renovation, repair and repainting rules.

EPA finalized all aspects of  the regulations effective October 4, 2011, including clarifications to the requirements for high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums in indoor renovation project.

Published in the Federal Register August 5, 2011, the EPA rules specify steps required to meet compliance for the abatement of lead in remodeling homes built before 1978. The rules, which  apply to projects of six square feet or more where paint is disturbed, cover more than 76 million homes.

"Without finalization of the regulations, we were not in a position to make a statement with full confidence that our CT HEPA Dust Extractors would fully comply," said Festools in a statement. "Parts of the proposed regulations specific to HEPA vacuums, how they are tested, filter ratings, and other requirements, were under further development."

Dust extractors must be certified HEPA compliant to meet the EPA rules. "While there are numerous manufacturers offering a vac with a HEPA filter, this falls short of the actual requirements, which specifically call for a perfect seal between the filter and the vac in which it is installed," says festool. "For full compliance, you need to be sure that the manufacturer also meets the requirement for no bypass leakage."   

Festool says it had to change filter suppliers in the course of meeting the new EPA-RRP requirements. "Due to the strict nature of the certification process, we can only provide certification for units that employ the most up to date filter design," says Festool. "We are providing owners of our CT 26 and CT 36 Dust Extractors with brand new filters, plus a hardcopy of the HEPA certificate, free of charge if claimed before march 31, 2012.