Soil tests conducted by Los Angeles County Public Health have revealed elevated lead levels in areas downwind of the Eaton fire. During a virtual town hall on Thursday, officials presented preliminary findings from a study conducted by Roux Inc., focusing on the Eaton and Palisades fire areas. The study found that a higher percentage of soil samples exceeded health-based screening thresholds for lead in parcels downwind of the Eaton fire.
According to Press Telegram, the lead contamination is consistent with elevated levels found in air samples following the fire. The source is believed to be burning homes with lead-based paint, common in houses built before 1979. Adam Love from Roux Inc. stated that the highest lead levels were found around the Normandy Heights neighborhood, about a mile from the Eaton fire burn area.
In the Palisades fire area, localized chemical impacts were detected, but no widespread contamination was found. Love noted a higher percentage of arsenic in the northeast area of the Palisades burn zone, though the cause is unclear. Public health officials stated that exceeding screening thresholds does not automatically necessitate cleanup but suggests further testing is needed. Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Nichole Quick emphasized the need for additional assessments in the Palisades hotspots and targeted lead soil testing downwind of the Eaton fire.
The study, which is 90% complete, involved collecting samples from various locations, including destroyed, damaged, and undamaged parcels. The study aims to identify heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and dioxins. Residents and lawmakers have criticized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for only removing six inches of soil during debris removal and have called for more extensive testing.
The LA Public Press reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps will not test soil at these properties. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only conducted soil sampling at its staging areas. Roux Associates is conducting additional tests on destroyed parcels after debris removal. Further results from stage three of the study will be released in the future, analyzing soil from parcels where debris removal is complete.
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