Pasadena Parks to Reopen After Soil Tests Show Safe Lead Levels

City officials announced Friday that soil testing at six Pasadena city parks revealed lead and other heavy metal concentrations below California and federal safety thresholds, prompting them to lift restrictions on outdoor activities on exposed soil in parks.

The City had closed several baseball infields on April 18 to conduct soil testing for lead contamination from the Eaton Fire following a County report that spurred concerns.

The highest lead detection measured 51.9 parts per million (ppm) at Washington Park’s Tree Area, while the lowest was found at Robinson Park’s North Ball Field at just 1.6 ppm. All readings fell significantly below California’s 80 ppm screening threshold and the EPA’s 200 ppm limit.

To view the lead and heavy metal level results for each park, refer to the map.

“These test results demonstrate there is no evidence that levels of lead or other heavy metals are harmful to health at these city parks,” said Director of Public Health, Manuel Carmona. “Given the preliminary results of the Los Angeles County soil study, everyone should practice precautions within the neighborhoods identified in the study but there is no indication that community members or visitors need to avoid outdoor activities at city parks.”

The testing was conducted at Alice’s Dog Park, Allendale Park, Hamilton Park, Robinson Park, Washington Park, and Victory Park following an April 10 report from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that found elevated lead levels in residential properties across two Pasadena neighborhoods.

In response, the city had closed baseball infields at Washington Park and Victory Park. The other four parks were tested out of an abundance of caution, even though they were outside the initially sampled areas.

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department Director Koko Panossian expressed relief at the findings: “We are very pleased with the findings and are excited to reopen our fields with the comforting knowledge that they are safe for use. With this in mind, we highly encourage everyone to follow Public Health guidelines to make your health a priority.”

While park restrictions have been lifted, health officials continue to recommend precautionary measures for residents who interact with soil that may contain lead.

Outdoor recommendations include covering exposed soil with grass or mulch, keeping children away from bare soil, and washing hands after coming into contact with soil.

Indoor precautions focus on reducing tracked-in soil by removing shoes before entering homes, using “sticky mats” in entryways to remove dust, employing wet cleaning methods for floors and surfaces, and running air purifiers with HEPA filters.

Officials also advise against cleaning methods that can resuspend dust, such as dry-sweeping or vacuuming without a HEPA filter.

Residents with young children or those particularly vulnerable to lead exposure are encouraged to consider professional soil testing for their properties. Health officials note that soil test kits sold at garden stores are not recommended as they cannot test for many contaminants or heavy metals.

Free blood lead testing is available through several options, including upcoming mobile testing events scheduled for April 26 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, April 27 (Noon – 5 p.m.) at Eaton Health Village/Pasadena Seventh Day Adventist Church, and May 24 (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.) at La Pintoresca Park during Family Fun Day.

More information can be found at the Fire Safety and Health information website.

A list of soil testing resources can be found at the PPHD Lead Poisoning Prevention Frequently Asked Questions guide. Before sending your sample, call or check the lab’s website for details on test types, cost, and sample instructions, turnaround time and if they provide a detailed report.

For more information about soil testing resources, residents can contact the City Service Center at (626) 744-7311.