Lead and Soil
Where do toxic hazards in soil come from?
Abandoned automobiles can leak fluids on to the ground. Abandoned houses where there is chipping and peeling paint can spread lead dust to surrounding areas.
Exhaust from leaded gasoline (outlawed in the mid1980s) are still lurking in bare soil areas. Sites where cars, trucks, and buses sat idling are likely sources of lead pollution.
Highway and train overpasses are likely spots for lead contamination where structures are rusting and chipping.
Industrial emissions from plants which process metals can travel from smokestacks for miles in all directions. You won’t know if you have toxic elements until your soil is tested.
Demolished houses where there was lead paint were often buried on site. Over the years the lead in the buried debris can come to the surface where people walk and play.
What can residents do if they find toxins in soil?
