It is prudent, however, to conclude that in the 10 residences with reported soil lead levels higher than 1000 ppm there may be some possibility for exposures and higher blood lead levels in children who routinely play in these areas. As a result, the report recommends an intervention level be established for this community at a soil lead level of 400 ppm for children play areas with bare soil on residential properties or in public areas, and at a level of 1000 ppm for all other areas of these properties covered by sod or grass to which children have access. Residents at properties exceeding 1000 ppm lead in soil should be advised to avoid contact and to not consume vegetables from backyard gardens. The Regional Niagara Public Health Department also has information on how to reduce exposure to lead in soil. Arsenic People everywhere in North America are exposed to low levels of arsenic in the environment and as such everyone has a certain amount of risk.
Exposures can occur by a number of different pathways including normal diet and drinking water.
The measured soil arsenic levels in the Rodney Street neighourhood were compared to the levels found in other communities in Ontario with elevated levels of soil arsenic. In the case of these other two communities, no adverse health effects were predicted to be associated with the arsenic in the soil. For the metals antimony, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt and copper, estimated total daily intakes for all age groups were well below stringent oral or breathing exposure limits from major recognized jurisdictions, such as, the U.S. EPA, World Health Organization and Health Canada. No adverse health effects are anticipated to result from exposure to antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper or cobalt, in soils in the Rodney Street community. Therefore, soil intervention levels were not developed for these metals for the Rodney Street community.