Barge Lincoln Elementary School

Schools in the Yakima School District were sampled for lead and arsenic contamination as part of Ecology’s Area-Wide Soil Contamination Project.  Soil beneath the grass of the playground at the elementary school contains lead and arsenic; sampling and analysis indicates that contamination exceeds state cleanup levels.

Area-wide soil contamination is defined as contamination above state cleanup levels that is dispersed over a large geographic area. The soil contamination in this case is a result of central Washington’s orchard industry. Much of the region consists of current or former orchard land, where long-term pesticide application has taken its toll. Lead arsenate, a pesticide commonly used between the years of 1905 and 1947 to control the codling moth, has been identified as the primary source of increased lead and arsenic concentrations.

Due to their chemical structure, lead and arsenic tend to bond with soil particles and often remain at or near ground surface level for decades, creating an exposure pathway through inhalation and/or ingestion.

Although lead and arsenic are naturally occurring elements, elevated concentrations have been proven to have a negative impact on human health. Young children are generally more susceptible than adults, which is why Ecology has focused remediation efforts on schools.

After a Site Hazard Assessment conducted in 2007, the Site was ranked a “3” on the Hazardous Sites List. The Hazardous Sites List is a statewide list of contaminated properties.  Sites can be ranked from a “1” to “5”.  A rank of “1” is the highest level of environmental concern compared to other sites on the List, and a rank of “5” is the lowest.

The cleanup alternative preferred by Ecology consisted primarily of placing clean soil on top of the existing soil and establishing new grass in this clean soil. 

The course of action taken was to cap contaminated soils with clean soil and grass sod.  Some contaminated soils were excavated to allow the soil cap to meet existing grade.  A permeable geotextile fabric was placed over top of contaminated soils.  Clean topsoil was placed over the geotextile, and sod was applied to restore the site to the original condition.  Play equipment pits were excavated and lined with geotextile fabric, then filled with engineered wood fiber. As a result of the Interim Action, lead and arsenic contaminated soil is contained within the site

An environmental covenant needs to be filed to restrict future improvements or redevelopment of the site.