Lead found at a Chatsworth park, more tests expected
My colleague Dana Bartholomew pushed hard to get city parks officials to release a report that found positive traces of lead at Chatsworth Park South, where several sports programs are held. The park has been closed for nearly two weeks. When city parks officials finally released the report on Friday (one week after they said it would be completed), they said testing would continue.
From the story:
The city closed the 80-acre park Feb. 14 after state toxic regulators warned of a positive test for lead at a former skeet range there.An environmental consultant hired by the city found that one-third of the samples it took from the park two weeks ago contained lead at or exceeding health standards.
"If a child were to get that soil in their system, by putting it in their mouth ... it could have adverse health effects," said Paul Davis, environmental specialist for the Department of Recreation and Parks.
"Which means we need to take note and do something about it."
The consultant, California Environmental of Camarillo, found lead in 23 of 66 soil samples at or exceeding 150 milligrams per kilogram in 23 of 66 samples - the limit set by the California Environmental Protection Agency for residential and children's play areas.
The samples - taken from 4 inches to 1 foot deep on a grassy glade on the site of a former gun and skeet range up against the Santa Susana Mountains - tested positive for lead, Davis said.