Playgrounds in five Durham parks closed for lead testing

The city of Durham closed playgrounds and other areas in five of its parks while it conducts additional soil lead tests.

Why it matters: Chronic lead exposure is dangerous, especially for children . A 2022 study by a Duke graduate student found some parks in Durham that were previously home trash incinerators or used ash as infill between 1900 and 1950 had lead concentrations higher than EPA standards.

Driving the news: Durham's parks and recreation department began fencing off additional sections of Northgate, Walltown, East Durham, East End and Lyon parks in recent weeks amid additional testing.

• EPA standards for lead concentrations in the soil of play areas was reduced earlier this year from 400 parts per million to 200, the city noted.

The testing is being performed by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality since all five parks are included in the state's pre-regulatory landfill program.

• Durham's former incinerators had been in Walltown, East End, East Durham, and Lyon parks — all located within historically Black neighborhoods, N.C. Newsline reported . Northgate did not have an incinerator but ash was used as infill in the park.
• Originally the city didn't test playgrounds with liners and 12 inches of mulch — but decided to test them after community discussions.

Zoom out: Many public parks throughout the U.S. were built on the sites of former waste incinerators, the Duke study noted.

What they're saying: The playgrounds "will not be reopened until we receive the testing results, discuss them with our community, and work with our residents on a plan for reopening the playgrounds safely," the city noted.