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"One of the largest human trials in history."

Another Katrina legacy: Arsenic coated playgrounds

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August 29, 2007

Another Katrina legacy: Arsenic coated playgrounds

It's tricky to write about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent rebuilding of New Orleans. Today's headlines are full of contradictions. New Orleans is reveling "in a new spirit of innovation," but the second anniversary of the hurricane is marked by anger and sadness. President Bush is in the city for the day; depending on who you read he's either marking the anniversary, reassuring residents ("We understand"), or celebrating [NB: Fox News has changed their headline since the post was published. Apparently "celebrate" wasn't quite the word they were looking for.]. Regardless of the angle any particular journalist chooses, all of those headlines probably ring true for many.

But this is an environmental health blog, and I am an environmental health blogger, so it was this headline that caught my attention:

Arsenic Contamination Found at New Orleans Schoolyards

It appears that when the floodwaters swept through New Orleans they unearthed deeply buried arsenic-based pesticides. At least 6 of the city's schoolyards are coated with a layer of sediment contaminated with arsenic, in some cases a two- to three times the amount at which federal law mandates cleanup. The report calls for further testing to see how widespread the contamination really is. The NRDC report has prompted the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality deny responsibility.

Let's face it, the LDEQ probably has their hands full. The arsenic hazard study is only one part of the NRDC's report titled Katrina's Wake, which also outlines health threats from pollution and the massive amounts of trash the storm created and distributed. But NRDC experts are quick to point out that the arsenic problem would be quick and easy to fix -- especially compared to some of the city's other headaches.

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