Low Income and Predominantly Latino Neighborhoods in Santa Ana Affected by Toxic Lead, Report Says

LA Time

by Ben Brazil
Santa Ana, CA – There are potentially unhealthy levels of lead in low-income and predominately Latino neighborhoods in Santa Ana, a new report finds. Local organization Orange County Environmental Justice partnered with UC Irvine and other community members over the last three years for the study. The coalition analyzed more than 1,500 soil samples from more than 500 locations, finding that the samples ranged from 11.4 to 2,687 parts per million, with an average soil sample of 123.1 ppm. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment considers anything above 80 ppm in a residential area as hazardous to health. About half of the soil samples exceeded the California safety recommendation. 

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