Divisions & Programs

Safer Soil Program

About Lead in Soil
Lead-Safe Cambridge Safer Soil Program
For More Information

About Lead in Soil

There are several sources of lead in soil. It is particularly troublesome in urban areas where there are many factories, older homes with chipping and peeling paint, and areas near roads that may have had heavy traffic in the past. Lead does not break down, and it does not wash away. So, despite the fact that leaded gasoline was banned in the 1980's and that lead-based paint is no longer used in residential property, the consequences of its use are still with us.

It is important to remember that children like to play in dirt and small children often put soiled toys, pacifiers, and hands in their mouths. Ingestion of lead from the soil can poison children. It takes just a very small amount of lead to poison a small child. Additionally, children, pets, and adults may track leaded dirt into the home. Making homes lead-safe must include some thought about the outside of the home as well.

Lead in soil is also an important consideration because people enjoy gardening and planting vegetables and fruit in their yards. It is not a good idea to plant vegetables or other food items in soil which contains high levels of lead. If you are not sure about the lead level of your soil, have it tested. The process is very simple and relatively inexpensive.

The good news is that there are relatively easy, attractive ways to make your yard safe. You can still have a beautiful garden, flowers, sitting and play areas! LSC can help.

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Lead-Safe Cambridge Safer Soil Program

Property owners who have units deleaded through LSC are eligible for assistance to lessen lead hazards in their yards. The Safer Soil Program offers $2,500 per unit (a cap is placed at $6,000 per building even if more than 3 units have been deleaded through LSC), and technical assistance from a Landscape Architect to help create a yard in which it is safe for kids to play.

In 1999, the Safer Soil Program received a Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects. We are proud to be the recipient of this nationally recognized award given for innovation in landscape architecture.

For more information, click here to read our Safer Soil Brochure.This file is in PDF format and requires use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

Follow this link if you would like information and the on-line brochure from University of Massachusetts Extension Soil Testing Program.

Testing Your Soil for Lead

To make the best decision about use of your yard, take area specific samples. Instead of taking six small samples from your entire yard, mixing them together, and sending them to the lab, you should take a sample in the play area and another in the garden and yet another in your walkway. After you receive your results, apply the design strategies explained in the Safer Soil Brochure.

Before and After Lead Soil Cleanup

Remediating lead in the soil is a great opportunity to make your yard more attractive. Here are examples of the techniques described in the Safer Soil brochure and how they can be used to beautify your yard. While these projects sought to cover bare soil where lead levels are high, they also created usable and attractive urban spaces for families.

Click on a photo or Yard Feature title to see a larger version of the before and after pictures.

Yard Feature	Before	After
Play Area
Gardens
Walkways
Drip Zone
Cover Bare Soils
A Lead-Safe Yard Can Be a Beautiful Yard

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For More Information

For further information, or to receive a hard copy of our Safer Soil brochure, contact Luisa Oliveira, Landscape Designer, loliveira@cambridgema.gov, at 617/349-4652.

For more information about Lead-Safe Cambridge, please call the Lead Line at
617/349-LEAD (5323) or email Toni Snow, Program Manager, at tsnow@cambridgema.gov. The Community Development Department TTY line is 617/349-4621.

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