Dangerous toxin in ground raises alarm at NJ public school district

🏫 Feds test 2 NJ school grounds for lead

📈 City was notified a month after testing

⚠ Historic land use involved lead materials

A month after soil testing, federal officials have alerted the Trenton Public School District to elevated levels of lead outside a school campus.

Samples were being taken in the East Trenton area, due to the land having previously been the site of pottery factories in the early 1900s, school officials announced on Wednesday.

Lead was involved in the materials used to make the pottery.

Grant Intermediate School and McKnight Elementary School were added to the testing site list, as the EPA also has been sampling soil from “hundreds” of homes in the area.

Soil testing was carried out at both locations on Dec. 27, 28 and 29.

During the Trenton Board of Education meeting on Jan. 22, Trenton Schools Superintendent James Earle reported that the district was still waiting for soil test results.

On Monday, the EPA confirmed to the district that soil at Grant Intermediate School does contain lead “above the normal levels in uncovered areas which included grass and dirt.”

McKnight Elementary School’s levels were within the normal range.

This exposure means that the district has begun restricting access to all outside, uncovered surfaces at Grant Intermediate School — so students, staff and the community would not have access to play or walk on the surfaces.

According to Trenton school officials, any buildings or outdoor areas covered by concrete or asphalt, including basketball courts are not exposed to lead from the surface.

In the next few weeks, the EPA would hold a community meeting at the school to share official information about the next steps in remediating the surfaces and answer questions from the public.

Any families interested in having students or staff members tested for lead were directed to contact Trenton school officials, who would work with the city, local health and the EPA to coordinate efforts.

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