At the beginning of july, Mediapart warned about the presence around Notre-Dame de Paris of lead level 400 to 700 times higher than the authorized thresholds. From “results [qui n’appelaient] no special protection measure at this stage “, then ensured the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Île-de-France. Three months after the fire that ravaged the cathedral last April, the news site reiterates this Wednesday July 17 : in the nurseries, kindergartens and schools surrounding the incident, the lead concentration remains well above normal. The mayor of Paris is accused of not having “carried out in-depth cleaning of the premises”.
However, when ingested or inhaled by children, this metal can cause poisoning, also called lead poisoning. This contamination can thus be the source of serious health problems, such as speech disorders, motor skills, behavior (hyperactivity), learning difficulties, slower growth, delayed puberty or encephalitis. , as indicated on the Health Insurance website.
Contaminated classes
“On ten sites (less than 500 meters from the cathedral, editor’s note), nine have lead concentration levels requiring rapid decontamination intervention”, indicates Mediapart. Results obtained after a series of samples taken by the mayor of Paris on May 13. In the Sainte-Catherine private school, the rates would rise to “nearly ten times the alert threshold of 70 μg / m2”. In the nursery school on rue Sommerard, “six classes are contaminated”, continues the site.
However, no closure or alert has been made by the town hall, denounces Mediapart. The first results have “was given to school principals telling them that there was no problem”. The municipality would have even communicated in the opposite direction: “[elle] told us that the samples did not show an abnormal lead concentration “, testifies anonymously one of the directors of the centers concerned.
A “thorough cleaning” of schools
“No alert”, hammers the town hall of Paris. She first replied that the information given to school principals had not been “sufficiently precise” and that’ “no major clean-up campaign had been decided”. But this Thursday, July 18, she finally announces that she will realize “a thorough cleaning” schools. A preventive measure “to make sure the risk is minimal”, explains Arnaud Gauthier, deputy director of health of the municipality, questioned by theAFP and taken over by the HuffPost.
The town hall also affirms that rinses had already been put in place when the samples were taken. School holidays will therefore be used to achieve a “high pressure cleaning of playgrounds“ and “control measures before the start of the school year”. No nursery or school will reopen if there is a risk, assures the municipality.
Read also :
- Notre-Dame de Paris fire: beware of lead!
- Heavy metals in the soil of the Parc Floral de Paris
