Roman Eugeniusz | Omaha, Nebraska, USA. | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Omaha_,Nebraska.USA._-_panoramio.jpg | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
For the first time in 30 years the Environmental Protection Agency is lowering recommended screening levels for lead in residential soil. The screening level for lead in soil at residential properties will go from 400 parts per million to 200 parts per million. If a residential property is subject to multiple sources of lead exposure the EPA will generally use 100 parts per million as the screening level.
Lowing the recommended screening level is based on updated science and is intended to protect communities. As a result of lowering the recommended screening level the EPA is expected to investigate more residential properties for potential cleanup under the Superfund law and Resource Conservation Recovery Act.
The implications for Omaha’s lead Superfund site will be determined on a site-by-site basis and involve EPA teams and local stakeholders in the local communities to investigate and determine if new screening levels will lead to new site-specific guidelines.