Lead contamination in New Orleans parks remains a serious issue, as revealed by a recent investigation conducted by Verite News. The investigation found that despite promises made in 2011 to remediate lead pollution in city parks, many playgrounds are still contaminated with dangerously high levels of lead. This poses a significant health risk to children who play in these parks, as lead exposure can have long-term negative effects on their development.
The investigation was prompted by Sarah Hess, whose daughter Josie was diagnosed with lead poisoning in 2010. After discovering that the soil at Mickey Markey Playground, where Josie played regularly, was contaminated with lead, Hess and other concerned parents urged the city to take action. However, despite initial promises to remediate the park and others like it, little progress has been made in the past decade.
Verite News reporters tested soil samples from 84 city parks with playgrounds in fall 2025 and found that approximately half of them had lead concentrations exceeding federal hazard levels. This indicates that lead pollution in New Orleans parks is more widespread than previously thought, and that many children are at risk of lead exposure while playing outdoors.
Public health experts emphasize the dangers of lead exposure in children, as even trace amounts of lead can have serious consequences on their brain development and cognitive abilities. There is no known safe level of lead exposure for children, making the contamination of city parks a major public health concern.
Despite these findings, the city of New Orleans has not conducted any major remediation or lead testing of parks since 2011. With the city facing financial challenges and a budget deficit of $220 million, it remains unclear whether Mayor Helena Moreno will allocate resources to address the lead contamination issue in parks. However, Larry Barabino, CEO of the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, has acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and pledged to work with city departments and local experts to potentially remediate unsafe parks.
The investigation highlights the need for urgent action to address lead contamination in New Orleans parks and protect the health of children who frequent these playgrounds. Parents like Sarah Hess and Andrea Young, who have been advocating for park remediation for years, continue to push for a safer environment for their children and all the kids who play in city parks. Verite’s findings have shed light on a hidden danger lurking in New Orleans parks. Lead contamination, often invisible to the naked eye, poses a significant risk to children who play in these spaces. The recent soil tests conducted by Verite revealed alarming levels of lead in the city’s parks, far exceeding the national average.
Lead, a toxic metal, can have serious health implications, especially for young children. Exposure to lead can lead to developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. The soil samples collected by Verite showed lead levels averaging about 121 ppm, nearly five times the national average. This poses a grave concern for the safety of children who frequent these parks.
The federal hazard level for lead in soil was previously set at 400 ppm before being lowered to 200 ppm by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Joe Biden. However, in areas like New Orleans with multiple sources of lead exposure, including contaminated soil and lead pipes, the threshold was further reduced to 100 ppm. Despite these guidelines, the Trump administration later rolled back the EPA screening standards, sparking concerns among experts like Mielke.
Lead contamination in soil is a widespread issue in urban areas like New Orleans, where historical factors have contributed to high lead levels. The city’s older neighborhoods, such as the Irish Channel and Algiers Point, showed some of the highest lead levels in Verite’s findings. This poses a significant risk to children who play in these parks, as they may unknowingly be exposed to harmful levels of lead.
Parents across the city were shocked to learn about the lead levels in the parks where their children play. Meg Potts, a parent in the Irish Channel, expressed her concerns about her son’s potential exposure to lead at the Brignac park. With lead levels surpassing the EPA’s safety threshold, Potts had her son tested for lead exposure, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
The invisible nature of lead contamination makes it challenging for parents to protect their children from this hidden danger. Verite’s findings have underscored the need for immediate action to address lead contamination in New Orleans parks and ensure the safety of children who play in these spaces. Young’s realization that more needs to be done highlights the importance of continued efforts to mitigate the risks posed by lead exposure in the city’s parks. Copeland’s son had elevated levels, which she assumed came from the playground. She had also noticed paint peeling off the equipment and grounds littered with trash. She said she contacted city officials about her concerns, but they took no action.
Fast forward to 2025, Copeland’s son is now grown, but the issue of lead contamination in parks remains. Verite’s testing found elevated lead levels in the soil at Mickey Markey Park, where Copeland’s son used to play.
“It’s frustrating that this issue has been known for so long, and yet nothing has been done about it,” Copeland said. “The health and safety of our children should be a top priority for the city.”
Lead poisoning can have serious long-term effects on children, including developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. Stroh, another parent whose children frequent Markey Park, emphasized the importance of addressing this issue.
“As a parent, you try to protect your children from every possible danger, but when it comes to lead contamination in parks, we need the city’s help,” Stroh said. “It’s a small step, but it can make a big difference in ensuring our kids can play safely.”
LSU researcher Katner echoed these sentiments, noting that even a single lead hotspot in a park can pose a significant risk to children. She urged city officials to conduct more comprehensive testing and take action to remediate contaminated areas.
Lead contamination in soil is a legacy of past practices, such as leaded gasoline and lead-based paint. While efforts have been made to reduce these sources of pollution, the issue persists in older neighborhoods like New Orleans. Rabito, the Tulane epidemiologist, explained that deteriorating lead-based paint can turn into toxic dust, which can easily be ingested by young children playing in parks.
Children under 6 years old are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, as they are more likely to put their hands in their mouths after playing in contaminated areas. Rabito emphasized that even a one-time exposure to lead-contaminated soil can increase a child’s blood lead levels, with potential long-term health consequences.
To address this issue, Rabito recommended that parents avoid playgrounds with known lead contamination. She also stressed the importance of regular lead testing for young children, as mandated by Louisiana state law. However, enforcement of these testing requirements has been lacking, leading to low screening rates in New Orleans.
Despite these challenges, there have been some efforts to address lead contamination in parks. In 2010, concerned parents like Copeland had their children tested for lead, leading to some awareness of the issue. However, more comprehensive soil testing and remediation efforts are needed to ensure the safety of children playing in parks across the city.
As parents like Stroh and Copeland continue to advocate for safer parks, city officials will hopefully take action to address the issue of lead contamination and protect the health of New Orleans’ youngest residents. By prioritizing the safety of children in public spaces, the city can ensure that future generations can play without the risk of lead exposure. Claudia Copeland, a mother and molecular biologist, was shocked when her younger child, born in New Orleans, showed elevated blood lead levels. Her older child, born in Germany, had levels considered normal at the time. This discrepancy prompted Copeland to take action and raise awareness about the dangers of lead exposure in children.
She quickly made signs and posted them around Markey Park, where the soil was found to be toxic. The signs warned parents of the potential hazards lurking in the park. Copeland’s efforts led to the city fencing off and padlocking Markey Park, sparking a more comprehensive response from city officials.
The then-health commissioner, Karen DeSalvo, acknowledged the need to understand and remediate the risk of lead exposure but downplayed its severity compared to other health risks. However, then-mayor Mitch Landrieu pledged swift action to investigate and remediate possible lead contamination in other parks.
Despite promises of a broad response, the city’s testing and remediation efforts were limited to only 16 parks in 2011. This revelation came as a surprise to members of NOLA Unleaded, a group advocating for lead-free environments for children. They believed that all public parks in the city would be tested, as per Landrieu’s assurances.
Further investigation revealed that only two parks had lead levels below the federal threshold of 400 ppm, with the majority requiring remediation. Evans Park, which had dangerously high lead levels in 2011, was not remediated for reasons that remain unclear. Fourteen years later, testing by Verite found that A.L. Davis and Norwood Thompson Parks had lower lead levels, while Evans Park still had dangerously high readings.
Despite the limited resources cited by DeSalvo, the city’s response to lead contamination in parks fell short of the promised comprehensive approach. The discrepancies in testing and remediation raise concerns about the safety of children playing in public parks in New Orleans. Landrieu and DeSalvo did not respond to requests for comments on the matter. The findings of high lead levels in New Orleans parks, particularly in areas frequented by children, have raised concerns about the city’s remediation efforts to address the issue. Verite’s recent study revealed alarming lead levels in soil samples taken from various parks, with one sample near a low-hanging oak branch recording a lead level of 5,998 ppm, significantly exceeding the urban soils threshold. This level was nearly 60 times higher than the standard and more than double that of the second-highest sample collected at Soraporu Park in the Irish Channel.
In 2011, MMG recommended a remediation plan for Evans Park, which included installing a fabric layer topped with clean soil in designated areas, including the northeast corner where the highest lead sample was found. However, a 2015 progress report indicated that the recommended work had not been carried out, with no explanation provided by the firm.
Further investigations revealed that the city’s remediation efforts focused on covering patches of contaminated soil rather than the comprehensive treatment suggested by Mielke in 2011. Mielke had proposed covering entire play areas with clean soil, a strategy proven to effectively reduce lead exposure based on his previous research at child care center playgrounds in New Orleans.
The limited remediation efforts at city parks, such as Comiskey Park and Easton Park, mainly targeted areas with lead levels above 400 ppm, leaving many hazardous zones untreated. Soil capping was typically observed in only a few spots, while the majority of each park remained untouched. High lead levels were still detected in areas where remediation had taken place, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the approach.
Despite recommendations for comprehensive testing and regular checkups at all parks, the extensive lead contamination in New Orleans parks poses a challenge for city leaders facing budget constraints. Filippelli suggested prioritizing remediation at the most affected parks first, rather than opting for full remediation involving the costly removal and disposal of lead-tainted soil.
Moving forward, stakeholders like Barabino, the recreation district CEO, expressed a commitment to addressing the issue by sharing the study results with city project managers and MMG. The goal is to remediate contaminated areas and ensure the safety of children and families using the parks. While challenges persist in implementing effective remediation strategies, the need for urgent action to mitigate lead exposure risks in New Orleans parks remains a top priority. In 2011, the city of New Orleans spent a total of $83,000 on remediation efforts to address lead contamination in various parks, covering more than 1.3 acres across 10 properties. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would equate to about $120,000 today. However, compared to similar remediation efforts described by experts like Mielke and Filippelli, the city’s expenses were notably high. Filippelli estimates that similar work could be done for approximately $20,000 per acre, which is only a fifth of what was spent on remediating just over an acre at New Orleans parks.
Evans, Markey, and several other parks with high lead levels have around an acre of open soil or grass that could be capped for roughly $20,000 each. Some of the parks with the most significant lead issues are actually the smallest in size. For instance, Soraporu Park, which had the second-highest lead levels in Verite’s testing, would only require about half an acre of coverage. Similarly, Union and Brignac parks, each less than a quarter acre, could be capped for approximately $5,000 according to Filippelli’s estimates.
In addition to remediation efforts, it is crucial to address contamination from nearby sources, primarily old houses shedding lead paint. Rabito emphasized the importance of identifying and addressing these sources to prevent recontamination of remediated soil. Cleaning up the parks will likely require sustained public pressure, as was evident in 2011 when parents played a significant role in raising awareness about lead dangers at Markey Park.
Verite News conducted extensive testing on New Orleans parks using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to detect lead levels in soil samples. This handheld device, costing $30,000, can detect lead at trace levels down to 10 parts per million. The testing protocols were developed by toxicologist Howard Mielke and reviewed by other lead-contamination researchers. The results, while not comprehensive, provide a starting point for city officials to conduct more thorough testing for remediation purposes.
Overall, addressing lead contamination in New Orleans parks will require a multifaceted approach involving remediation, source identification, and ongoing public advocacy to ensure the safety of children and families using these public spaces. With the rise of technology and the internet, the way we consume information has drastically changed. Gone are the days of relying solely on newspapers and magazines for news updates. Now, people can access news from a variety of sources, including social media platforms, online news websites, and blogs.
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