Community lead exposure.

Abstract

In August, 1990, a regional transit authority began removing paint on two overhead bridges on a commuter railroad line running through a residential neighborhood of Lynn, Massachusetts, an industrial city north of Boston. The contracted work involved the sandblasting of existing bridge paint to prepare the surface for repainting. The sandblasting was conducted without shrouding or adequate worker protection. The bridge paint was not tested for lead content, nor were neighborhood residents informed of the operations prior to the commencement of the work. Following complaints by residents to the local and state health departments, a cease-work order was issued. Laboratory tests of paint samples revealed a lead content ranging from 5% to 15%. Sandblasting debris was evident throughout the adjacent neighborhood. What followed was a 3-month effort by state and local government officials and the transit authority and its contractors to assess, communicate, and remedy the damage done by the operations. Soil, dust, and blood samples were collected to assess environmental contamination and health effects. Notices were sent, meetings held, and informational sites established to inform community residents of the impact of the operations and remediation efforts. The local and Boston media provided extensive coverage of the incident and its aftermath. Remediation efforts involved the relocation of occupants from residences in proximity of the site and extensive clean-up of the interiors of affected homes by licensed lead abatement contractors. The cost of the cleanup was well over $1 million.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)