Lead contamination limited to small area of Tacoma neighborhood

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - May 1, 2008

08-110

Lead contamination limited to small area of Tacoma neighborhood

OLYMPIA – Neighbors living next door to a residential lead-melting operation in Tacoma this week received word that lead levels found in the soil on their property are mostly below state cleanup levels. Only one yard recorded high enough levels to prompt plans for soil removal to prevent potential health issues.

In March, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department contacted residents of the South D Street neighborhood about possible lead contamination on their property. The state and county were concerned that a recently discovered lead-melting operation could have spread lead-contaminated ash.

With the permission of property owners, the health department tested the soil at three properties closest to the home at 6719 D Street. Results show:

Of the 20 samples taken from a C Street neighbor, none exceeded the state cleanup threshold of 250 parts per million (ppm). The levels ranged from 4 ppm to 110 ppm.
Samples from a neighboring property to the north were between 33 ppm and 150 ppm.
A home to the south had the highest levels of lead, with five samples above the threshold for state cleanup. Two of the elevated samples were at the fence line immediately adjacent to the actual lead-melting equipment. The other elevated levels were found behind the garage in an area likely unrelated to air deposition from the lead melting.

“Based on the sampling results, we’re certain the lead contamination was contained to the lead melter’s property itself and just a few areas closest to the equipment he used,” explained Marian Abbett with Ecology’s Toxic Cleanup Program. “We will keep in touch with the one family that will need a small portion of a fence line cleaned up.”

Meanwhile, the local health department is recommending that family members with the elevated levels of lead in their soil take precautions to limit their exposure until a cleanup is complete. Steps include keeping the fence line area grassy, washing hands after playing outside and regular vacuuming and damp dusting.

Exposure to lead can cause several serious health impacts, particularly to young children whose bodies are still developing. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

An expected or “natural background” reading for lead in soil is about 24 ppm. In urban areas, lead levels in the soils of properties near busy roads often have high levels of lead due to the past use of lead in gasoline.

Ecology is contacting a certified lead abatement specialist about assessing the property where the smelting took place and developing a cleanup strategy. Once structures on the property at 6719 South D Street are cleaned up, Ecology will address soil contamination there and at the house to the south. Ecology will have the soil from the neighbor’s fence area removed and replaced with clean fill.

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Media Contacts: Kim Schmanke, Ecology media relations, 360-407-6239
Seth Preston, Ecology media relations, 360-407-6848
Frank Dibiase, TPCHD Environmental Health, 253-798-7674 or 253-250-2279

Link to Healthy Actions brochure: http://www.tpchd.org/files/library/e3e834ccf46ad32c.pdf
Ecology new release about lead melter: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2008news/2008-069.html
Link to state Health Childhood Lead Program: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/Lead/default.htm