Why is a Los Angeles-based foundation funding soil testing of 1,200 homes for toxic substances such as lead and arsenic in the Palisades and Altadena fire zones?
Because federal agencies overseeing fire debris cleanup of 16,000 properties are not doing so.
The lack of testing by governmental agencies has left many homeowners of intact homes and burned-out properties too scared to move back home or rebuild. They fear contaminated soil is present, and ingestion or breathing toxic substances can expose their families to health problems, such as learning disabilities and even cancer.
Karen Walker, one of thousands of concerned residents, is temporarily living with her husband and two children in Sierra Madre. They won’t move back home until they’re sure testing reveals it is safe.
Though her home in Altadena is intact, it is surrounded by burned-out homes from the Jan.7- Jan. 8 Eaton fire that destroyed 9,414 structures and damaged 1,074 others, of which many were older homes covered in lead paint. She’s also concerned about airborne ash from a close-by Army Corps of Engineers site at Altadena Golf Course crushing concrete and metals from debris hauled in from nearby properties.
“We are scared because we want to live in a place that is safe,” Walker said on Thursday, April 17. She is in the process of testing the soil in the yard of her Altadena home. She’s particularly concerned about elevated lead levels.
The primary pathway for lead is hand-to-mouth contact of soils for sensitive populations, including pregnant mothers and children. In young children, lead exposure can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties and lowered IQ, according to Los Angeles County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nichole Quick.
The issue of testing for toxins has concerned property owners and leaders for weeks as federal agencies move to clean up ash and debris. But the issue was revived after recent findings by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health found lead…
Read the full article here
