Impact/Purpose:

To improve the environmental health of communities, particularly for children, through enhanced Pb outreach and education.

Description:

Over the past few decades, blood lead levels in children have declined dramatically. However, lead poisoning remains a serious environmental health threat for children today. The legacy of lead-based paint and leaded gasoline will be with us for many years to come. Without further action, large numbers of young children, particularly in older, urban neighborhoods, will continue to be exposed to lead in amounts that could impair their ability to learn and reach their full potential. Wide spread lead contamination in New England, with its prevalence of old homes and centuries-long history of lead-based paint, is of particular concern. The Region 1 lab has used X- Ray Fluorescence (XRF) to determine the levels of metals contamination in residential soils. Based on elevated lead levels, a pilot project utilizing XRF and primary intervention measures has been established to reduce risk to children from Pb contaminated residential soils. This pilot project has already lead to the initiation of several technical transfer projects in other regions, an interagency funded research project to evaluate efficacy of low level yard intervention, and the development of a technical handbook on the lead safe yard project. It is expected that with completion of the project, the Agency will have a practical template for remediating contaminated residential soil site

Record Details: