Soil cleanup to resume

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September 1, 2015 - 12:00 AM

Iolans began receiving notices Monday from the Environmental Protection Agency, detailing the agency’s plans to remove lead-contaminated soil from 350 or so properties later this month.
In the letter sent out Friday, yards with more than 800 parts-per-million (ppm) of lead-soil contamination will have the soil removed starting Sept. 21.
At least two feet of topsoil will be replaced with “clean” dirt and re-seeded with grass.
All is being done at no cost to local residents.
Lead-tainted soil has been a part of Iola’s landscape since zinc and lead smelters were in operation in the early days of the 20th century. The industries are long gone, but their tailings remain, and are still a health risk, EPA officials said.
 A study in 2006 found more than 130 properties surveyed in Iola, most of which were near where the smelters operated in the east part of town, had unsafe levels of lead. Those studies were voluntary, in which samples were taken from properties only upon the landowner’s request.
It was evident then that additional testing was required, EPA officials said.
Iola was placed on EPA’s National Priorities List in late 2012, noting more cleanup was necessary.
Subsequent testing in 2013 revealed more than 350 other properties with lead-soil levels of 800 ppm or greater.
Other property owners with lead-soil contamination of 400 ppm or greater — about 700 have been identified — also need to be cleaned eventually.
In Friday’s letter, the agency said it will spell out those cleanup plans by the end of the year with the goal of beginning cleanup next spring.
The price tag has been pegged at between $8 million and $10 million, Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh said.
Prior to Iola’s inclusion in the National Priorities List, the state was required to agree to pay 10 percent of the cleanup costs.

THE EPA LETTER also included fact sheets from the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department detailing information about lead exposure and its related health hazards.
The largest danger is for young children with a propensity of coming in close contact with contaminated soil through their toys, clothing, animals, and then putting their dirty hands in their mouths. Children with a propensity of eating dirt also are at risk.
Pets also can ingest lead-contaminated soil.
Lead poisoning is tied to several health effects, including slowed physical growth, hearing problems, nervous system damage, learning difficulties, behavior problems (including hyperactivity) and decreased intelligence scores.
For more information on soil lead dangers contact the Health Department at 365-2191.

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