Elevated levels of lead were discovered in at least 17 D.C. school playgrounds, leading to six being shutdown over the summer, according to a recent study.
The study, commissioned by the D.C. Department of General Services and conducted by an outside company, focused on the “Poured-in-Place” rubber matting on the ground surface of the playgrounds made of rubber and a polyurethane binder.
Other various sources for traces of lead at the area playgrounds, according to the report, included lead paint chips drifting onto playgrounds from nearby buildings and local soils with levels of lead migrating onto the playgrounds.
Aiton Elementary School, Cardozo Education Campus, Janney Elementary School, Thomas Elementary School, Thomson Elementary School and Turner Elementary School were identified as having levels of lead that needed to be addressed and remediated.
The rubber matting was excised at Turner and Cardozo elementary schools and the playgrounds are now open and Thomson elementary had a sealing layer of artificial turf placed over the matting and is now open, according to the report.
Aiton Elementary School had the playground closest to the school resurfaced and has reopened and a new playground is in the works.
The Janney Elementary School courtyard playground has a “building lead paint stabilization plan” in place to tend to chipped lead paint falling into the preschool playground, the report said. Additional testing will be done.
Thomas Elementary School had active construction activities close to the playground and will be tested again after the construction is cleaned up, the report said.
The following D.C. schools were identified in the report as having elevated levels of lead:
- Aiton Elementary School
- Bancroft Elementary School
- Cardozo Education Campus
- Dorothy I. Height Elementary School
- Eaton Elementary School
- H.D. Cooke Elementary School
- Janney Elementary School
- Langdon education campus
- Nalle Elementary School
- Oyster-Adams Bilingual School (Adams Campus)
- River Terrace Education Campus
- Roosevelt High School
- Shepherd Elementary School
- Thomas Elementary School
- Thomson Elementary School
- Truesdell Education Campus
- Turner Elementary School.
Additionally, 22 schools were identified as having trace amounts of lead detected but the amount was only 0.005%, which is below the action plan level, the report said.
