The Playground-is it Safe?


www.waterkeeper.org	Is Your Child's Playground Safe?
Why Join? Calendar Site Map * * * * * * * * * * *	By Dr. Mike Bradley		9/21, 9/22 and 9/23/10 Details coming soon!
Making a Difference at the Tar Creek Superfund Site: Community Efforts to Reduce Risk is a book that we hope will inspire other communities facing environmental injustices. It comes with a DVD featuring a new film Progress at Tar Creek and two films of youth efforts through service learning. The first printing was made possible through a grant from the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you for sharing our vision to make a difference. There is still more to be done. LEAD Agency will accept donations to reproduce additonal copies and to allow for postage. LEAD Agency, Inc. 19257 South 4403 Drive Vinita, OK 74301 * * * * * * * * * * * * *	Each year, more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment. Most injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground. Many parents are aware of these dangers, but how many of us have ever considered that the ground, itself, might be dangerous? As a result of lead-laden chat having been spread to many areas of the county, soil in some locations is now contaminated with this and other heavy metals. Lead in soil can be a hazard when children play in bare soil or when people bring soil into the house on their shoes. If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from headaches, hearing problems, slowed growth, behavior and learning problems, and even damage to the brain and nervous system. In March, 2001, the EPA initiated screening level sampling in the City of Miami to assess if elevated levels of lead were present at locations where chat was visually identified in alleyways and parks. A total of 92 samples were collected, and results ranged from 31 ppm to 4,532 ppm of lead. Of the 92 samples collected, 71% exceeded the 500 ppm action level for lead that the EPA has determined is the highest level that can be present in soil without being harmful. In response to these elevated results, the EPA directed further sampling to be done in high access areas where the risk was considered the greatest. Since children are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of lead, the decision was made to sample local school playgrounds. From February through March 2002, sampling was performed at a total of 13 school properties in the City of Miami. In addition, sampling was also performed at a possible new addition to the Picher-Cardin Elementary School. A total of 1,452 samples were collected and analyzed. The data from this sampling showed that six of our schools have isolated to extensive areas of contaminated soils that require action. Because these areas are highly accessible to children, EPA will take immediate action starting in July 2002. The clean-up will be performed during the summer recess and is expected to be complete before the start of school.		ATSDR Awarded to L.E.A.D., Inc. Central Mill History Harvard Children's Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Children's Environmental Health & Disease Research Environmental Blogs New! Introduction to Tar Creek Superfund Site Is Your Child's Playground Safe? Grand Riverkeeper LEAD's Environmental Justice Grant
Shall We Gather at the River Filmmakers website * * * * * * * * * * * * The Creek Runs Red Filmmakers website	SCHOOLS INVOLVED: NEO Head Start Miami Kindergarten Center Nichols Elementary Rockdale Elementary Roosevelt Elementary Washington Elementary	Will Rogers Middle School Miami High School Mt. Olive Lutheran School Green Country Christian School Picher-Cardin Elementary	Facts Glossary Quotes OK Sustainability Network Western Mining Action Network Read about the new documentary film, “Tar Creek,” by Vinita native Matt Myers that premiered 8-13-09. The film was featured during the annual Tar Creek Conference and was shown Sept. 23 at the Coleman Theatre Beautiful in Miami.
	Was *your* child's school playground one of the six local sites contaminated with lead?
	Contact Information: L.E.A.D. Agency, Inc. 19257 S. 4403 Dr. Vinita, OK 74301 918-256-5269 Email
	Year originally posted: 2002
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