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How do you even know if there is lead in the soil around your home? Likely if you live in an older home built prior to 1978, that was painted or the paint was removed, it is likely there is lead in the soil from old paint chips. If you live near a very busy, high traffic road that has been in existence for over 40 years when cars used leaded gasoline, the exhaust could have introduced lead contaminates to the nearby soil. A sample can be taken of soil in various areas around your home by a trained and licensed inspector, then sent for testing. The EPA recommends a level no more than 400 parts per million in a child’s play area. If your child has been tested and found to have an elevated blood level above 3.5, it’s not a bad idea to have the soil around your home tested. If the soil is contaminated with lead there are ways to correct this problem.
The goal is to minimize a child’s exposure to the contaminated soil. There is no need to prevent children from playing outside, however, hand washing is very important to prevent children from ingesting the contaminated soil. Especially prior to meals when they will be using their hands to eat. Another intervention is to remove shoes and outer wear in a designated area and not tracking the soil through the house. Using floor mats can make cleaning up easier because door mats can collect the bulk of the soil at the door and can easily be vacuumed or taken outside to be cleaned. Using a damp mop rather than sweeping wood, tile and linoleum floors also prevents moving the dust and soil into the air.
If children’s play areas consist of bare soil that show to be contaminated with lead, these areas need to be covered. Grass, mulch, wood chips, or more permanent options such as concrete or asphalt can be used to cover the soil to create a barrier. This would be an ideal time to think about landscaping or the addition of a porch or patio. If the levels of lead in the soil are higher or a more permanent option is desired, the contaminated soil can be removed by a professional and replaced with good soil. To be effective, 6 to 24 inches of soil need to be removed depending on the severity. Until a method to create a barrier has been put into place, children should not play in contaminated areas. The amount of time spent in these areas and the level of contamination in the soil likely have a direct impact on the child’s blood lead level.
The goal is to let children play and have fun outside. To grow healthy and strong, children need clean and safe areas outside of their homes to enjoy and discover the great outdoors. Stay alert and let’s be lead free!
