Severe lead poisoning in Notre Dame area
(Baonghean) - The devastating fire in April destroyed the 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral. Of further concern, the level of toxic lead dust pollution near the cathedral is becoming increasingly serious, 1,300 times higher than French safety standards, posing a threat to public health.
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| Rubble inside Notre Dame Cathedral. Photo: The NYT |
Five months after the fire, French authorities have refused to fully disclose the results of lead poisoning tests.
This not only worries the public, but also easily leads to the misunderstanding that rebuilding the cathedral as pledged by President Emmanuel Macron is more important than their health.
According to the New York Times, 460 tons of lead were engulfed in flames as the cathedral's roof and spire burned away, threatening public health and raising concerns in Paris all summer.
Pollution levels in areas near churches and schools, daycare centers and other areas of Paris are at alarming levels due to toxic dust.
A Times investigation found that more than 6,000 children under the age of 6 live around the church, which has alarming levels of lead pollution.
In dozens of other public spaces such as squares and streets, Paris authorities found lead levels that were 60 times higher than safety standards. Soil contamination in public parks is considered a major concern.
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| Workers carry out lead decontamination operations at Notre Dame Cathedral in September. Photo: The NYT |
The Times investigation was based on a number of confidential documents from labor inspectorate warnings, police reports and previously undisclosed lead measurements from the French Ministry of Culture, the agency responsible for cleaning up the site and rebuilding the cathedral.
The documents make clear that French authorities recognized signs of severe lead exposure within 48 hours of the fire. However, it was not until a month later that Paris city officials began conducting the first lead tests at a school near Notre Dame.
Health experts have advised against taking children near Notre Dame Cathedral. Meanwhile, French officials have argued that, “in a city as historic as Paris, high levels of lead pollution cannot be attributed to the fire at Notre Dame.
The test results may also partly reflect a broader underlying problem than lead contamination in Paris.”
