Dorchester lead-safe yard project: A pilot program to demonstrate low-cost, on-site techniques to reduce exposure to lead-contaminated soil

Despite a general reduction in blood lead levels in children after lead was banned in gasoline and paint, lead poisoning remains an important health p roblem in many older urban areas. One factor that increases risk in these p laces is the high levels of lead in certain residential areas. A major inte rvention study found that reducing lead levels in urban soils results in a reduction in exposed children's blood lead levels. Removing lead from inner -city soils or reducing exposures to lead-contaminated soils typically is e xpensive, technologically challenging, or beyond the ability of low-income households to undertake. This project, in conjunction with residents and co mmunity-based institutions, developed a series of in situ, low-cost, low-te chnology measures that worked to reduce the exposure to lead-contaminated s oils in one Boston, Massachusetts, neighborhood. The project demonstrated s everal important results. Government, universities, residents, and communit y based organizations can work together effectively to reduce exposures to lead in soil. Lead-contaminated soil can be mitigated at a fraction of the cost of conventional methods in ways that increase the ability of residents , community health centers, and others to have a positive impact on their n eighborhoods. A lead-safe yard program can be replicated and institutionali zed by municipal home de-leading programs and other community organizations .