Elevated lead levels detected on school grounds in Trenton, forcing outdoor areas to be sealed off

TRENTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The playgrounds and grassy areas at Ulysses S. Grant Intermediate School in Trenton, New Jersey, are sealed off after tests run by the Environmental Protection Agency showed elevated levels of lead.

The EPA reached out to the district in December requesting to take soil samples from two schools in addition to hundreds of other properties in East Trenton.

On Monday, the district sent out notices to families that the soil and grass at the Grant School showed lead levels that were too high.

"The kids play out here," said parent Cynthia McGlothan. "My son's been here almost two years and they play in this yard every day."

About 550 students attend the school for fourth through sixth graders.

For now, the kids are having indoor recess until the contaminated soil is dug up and replaced.

Jesiah Woods, 9, says they talked about it in class on Wednesday.

"The lead with the grass and soil is messing up the playground," said Woods.

Officials say the blacktop areas are safe to walk on.

"Their health is our priority," said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. "So that's the reason why we closed off the play areas. We're also going to be testing each student who goes to the Grant School. If anyone tests positive we'll go in their homes and test the homes as well."

Gusciora says surrounding properties, including homes, were tested and more than 100 of them came back elevated.

Years ago, Trenton was home to more than 150 pottery factories and lead was widely used.

"Lead as a pigment was very popular because you could get a lot of different colors from lead just by changing the chemistry that was associated with it," explained Brian Buckley, executive director of Rutgers University's Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute.

He says lead exposure is difficult to treat and the best thing to do is to remove it from the environment.

"We worry most about kids because of severe neurodevelopmental issues and perhaps behavioral issues as well," said Buckley.

The school district says over the next few weeks, the EPA will hold a community meeting at the school to share the next steps and answer questions.

The mayor says the work to dig up and replace the dirt at the school could take six months.