This NY playground's soil was tested for lead contamination. Here are the results
WAPPINGERS FALLS - Temple Park is safe to reopen after a state soil analysis showed lead levels meet state and federal safety standards for children's play areas.
The small neighborhood park was temporarily closed last month after a state investigation was launched following a Wall Street Journal report that claimed old cables hanging above the park had contaminated the soil below with lead.
The state Department of Health said in its final report that its soil sampling investigation, conducted with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, found no evidence of elevated or widespread lead contamination in the areas that were sampled.
Those results suggest there is no evidence of significant exposure or public health risk for those who use the park, the DOH said. They have advised the Village of Wappingers Falls to reopen the park.
Lead naturally occurs in soils and the typical level ranges from 50 to 400 parts per million, according to the DOH.
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The federal Environmental Protection Agency's soil standards set the maximum acceptable limit for children's play areas at 400 parts per million.
The health department and the DEC took 25 soil samples from and around Temple Park, and those were sent to the state's Wadsworth Center for testing.
All but one of the samples collected at and near Temple Park contained lead levels below 400 parts per million.
More on this investigation: This New York playground's soil is being tested for lead contamination
The one exception was a sample that contained 410 parts per million and that came from an area along the roadway and outside of play areas. That does not present an exposure concern to children or the general public, the DOH said.
"My administration will always take swift action to ensure our communities are safe with reports of potential public health threats," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "I am pleased that we have confirmed that Temple Park is safe for public use."
Hochul said the state is continuing to investigate other sites with lead-containing cables across the state.
Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: NY playground soil testing completed: What the results show
