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TACOMA SMELTER PLUME

CHILD USE AREA STUDY – SCHOOL SAMPLE DATA RELEASED FOR KING AND PIERCE COUNTIES

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Introduction

Key Facts about the Elementary School Results

Point Defiance Elementary School

Our Next Steps

Introduction

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) and health departments in King and Pierce Counties have been studying soils in both counties for the presence of arsenic and lead.  Studies in undisturbed areas on Vashon-Maury Island, mainland King County, and western Pierce County helped to establish a general “footprint” of areas affected by air emission fallout from the former Asarco copper smelter in Ruston, near Tacoma. 

Click here for more general background on the Tacoma Smelter Plume. 

While these studies show widespread contamination in both counties, there is not a public health emergency.  Ecology and the health departments are concerned about long-term exposure to the contaminated soil, especially for young children.  We are studying the soils in areas where children play frequently, such as schools, parks, camps, and childcare facilities, in both southwestern King County and western Pierce County.  The studies are not complete, but results from the elementary schools are now available.  Results from childcare facilities, preschools, camps, and parks will be available in June.

Key Facts about the Elementary School Results

• There is no health emergency at any elementary schools tested for lead and arsenic in King and Pierce counties, and following soil safety guidelines such as removing shoes at the door and washing hands regularly will reduce exposure to contaminated soil.
   

• We have sampled the play areas (playgrounds, ball fields) at 55 public and private elementary schools in King and Pierce counties.  For most of the schools’ play areas, the arsenic and lead levels are below the state cleanup levels.
   

• Sampling is complete at:

King County

School Districts:

Highline  – 19 schools

Federal Way – 14 schools

Kent – 1 school

Tukwila – 1 school

Private schools:

St. Philomena

St. Francis of Assisi Primary

Christian Faith                                     

Pierce County

School Districts:

Clover Park  – 2 schools

Peninsula – 1 school

Steilacoom – 1 school

Tacoma – 9 schools

University Place – 4 schools

The sampling locations are mapped for King County and Pierce County.  

• Summary of results:

• Only 3 out of 55 schools have individual sample locations with lead above the cleanup level of 250 parts per million (ppm). 

• All schools have average levels of lead below the state cleanup level.

•  More than half of the schools (31 out of 55) have individual sample locations with arsenic above the cleanup level of 20 parts per million (ppm).

• However, only 8 schools have play areas with average levels of arsenic above the state cleanup level of 20 ppm.  All other play areas at the schools have average arsenic levels below the cleanup level. 

• The highest average arsenic at a play area was 114 ppm, and the highest single concentration was 691 ppm – all found at Point Defiance Elementary School in the Tacoma School District.  These levels also exceed the interim action trigger levels set for this project – 100 ppm for arsenic – See: What the Results Mean.

To see the results for your school, click on your school district or private school above. 

•      The relatively low levels of arsenic and lead are thought to result from site development – digging and grading tends to mix and dilute contaminants in the soil, so lower concentrations are usually found where building, grading, or landscaping has taken place.  Undeveloped lands, or sites where little disturbance has occurred over the years, tend to have higher concentrations.  Results from individual samples, even samples quite close to each other, can be very different depending on past activities at that location.

•      Ecology and the health departments are encouraging the schools to follow the soil safety guidelines provided by the health departments, Soil Safety Guidelines  in King County and Healthy Actions in Pierce County.  Examples of safety measures include washing hands after playing outside, taking your shoes off when coming inside, and washing toys with which small children play.
   

•       Ecology is also encouraging schools to provide clean play areas for the children, such as placing rubber mats underneath playground equipment (to cover contaminated soil), or placing a foot or two of clean soil, wood chips, or shredded tires in play areas.  These actions could take place when opportunities arise, such as development or redevelopment of schools or playground areas.
   

•       One play field has been temporarily fenced off limits at Point Defiance Elementary School, and the Tacoma School District is discussing possible cleanup actions for two areas with the local Health Department and the Department of Ecology
   

•       We went to sample the play areas at 3 public schools in the Seattle School District and 1 private school in King County.  However, the play areas were paved – the children are not exposed to any contaminated soil.

To read more about the study and results…What We are Studying, What We Have Found So Far, and What the Results Mean.

Point Defiance Elementary School

The Tacoma School District has fenced off a small ball field at Point Defiance Elementary School because two samples within that field contained 118 and 92 ppm arsenic.  One hundred part per million of arsenic within a play area is Ecology’s “trigger level” where physical cleanup actions are recommended instead of relying on education and soil safety guidelines to prevent exposure to arsenic.  The lead samples at this site were not above state cleanup levels.  The field is bare dirt, and is regularly used by children during the school day and after school.   The fencing is a precautionary measure to ensure the safest environment for school children while decisions are being made about cleanup.   The school principal and school district staff are working closely with the Department of Ecology and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department to plan additional sampling and evaluate what actions may be needed. 

A vacant school–owned parcel adjacent to Point Defiance Elementary was also found to contain elevated levels of arsenic.    The average arsenic level in this area was 114.4 ppm, with a maximum individual sample of 691 ppm (eight samples were taken within this area).  The same sample which contained 691 ppm arsenic contained 1040 ppm lead.  

Although the vacant site is not used by children during the school day, part of the area is used after school as a ball field.  The individual sample with the highest level of arsenic and lead is not on the ball field area.  Because this area is covered with grasses and weeds, and is used less frequently by children, the school district has not fenced it off at this time.  Part of this vacant site was cleaned up in 2001 as part of the Federal Superfund Cleanup being conducted in Ruston and North Tacoma.  Additional sampling will take place in this area to assist in making decisions about further cleanup which might be needed based on the results of this study.

To read more about the relationship to the Superfund site… Relationship to the Asarco Tacoma Smelter Federal Superfund Site

Our Next Steps

• Additional sampling and continued discussions between the Tacoma School District, Department of Ecology, and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department about possible cleanup actions for Point Defiance Elementary School.
   

• Ecology and the health departments are encouraging the schools to follow the soil safety guidelines provided by the health departments, Soil Safety Guidelines in King County and Healthy Actions in Pierce County.  Examples of safety measures include washing hands after playing outside, taking your shoes off when coming inside, and washing toys with which small children play.

• Ecology is also encouraging schools to provide clean play areas for the children, such as placing rubber mats underneath playground equipment (to cover contaminated soil), or placing a foot or two of clean soil, wood chips, or shredded tires in play areas.  These actions could take place when opportunities arise, such as development or redevelopment of schools or playground areas.

• Ecology can provide grant dollars to local public governments including public schools.  These dollars can pay for sampling and “cleanup.”  They are a 50% match.  We ask that any schools interested in grant dollars for cleanup activities in their play areas contact Ecology soon as we develop budget plans for this coming biennium (July 2003 to July 2005).

• Results from sampling parks, camps, and childcare facilities will be released in June, followed by a final report summarizing all sampling results in late summer.

• Ecology and the King and Pierce county health departments are discussing further sampling of child-use areas within the child-use area study zone in King and Pierce counties. 

This page last updated Wednesday October 01, 2008