Lead Contamination Spread Around More Than Thought

By: Duane Craig

Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska continues to surprise with more lead and antimony showing up in the soil, according to this report at KTVA Channel 11. It's a heavily used park and now the new soccer field is testing positive for lead contamination.

Biathlon left lead contamination in berms.

This is where skiers used to ski and shoot at the same time. Called a biathlon, the practice left thousands of lead bullets in the earthen mound behind targets. Over the years, as changes were made to the park, the lead-filled dirt was spread around to raise low areas. Nobody knows just when the dirt was moved but it is currently estimated the volume of contaminated soil could equal a thousand cubic yards.

Once the cleanup begins the contaminated soil will be removed, coated to encapsulate the lead and then disposed of. Costs are expected to be between $500,000 and $1 million. The city is working to get responsible parties to pay their shares of the total but that is dependent upon the outcome of a lawsuit
 that is currently in court.

Locating the contaminated soil is challenging and requires visual examination and using metal detectors. There's more on this story, here.