Local park closed due to lead contamination.

[Guest]

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/35182...gulch-park

I am feeling kind of bad for the Many homeless folks who have been known to sleep or hang out at this Kolekole park area. They may have been exposed to this lead contamination over the past several years.
Some of the Homeless who stay regularly at this Kolekole park area may not have regular health physicians to visit, So Where should they go to be treated or tested properly?

How can this type of soil lead contamination be dealt with? Will the soil have to be removed entirely or can it be buried or treated?

If the lead contaminated soil does have to be removed, where could it be moved to and could it spread or contaminate that area's soil?

[kalakoa]

They can just never reopen the park. Problem solved!

[terracore]

"The primary concern we would have is if kids at the park were digging through the grass, getting to the soil and then inadvertently ingesting that soil," said John Peard from the health department's Hazard Evaluation & Emergency Response Office.

So... instead of restricting access to people old or smart enough not to eat the dirt: NO PARK FOR YOU!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

They can just never reopen the park.

Rename it, and repaint the sign:
____________________
Sacred Kolekole Park
Everyone Kapu
____________________

If that doesn't keep people out, roll the shoreline boulders across the fields and parking lot. That seems to be a previously accepted solution for situations for when it's claimed the county or state doesn't follow their own rules and regulations. Poisoning park visitors might fall into that category.

On the fifth day - the scientists who studied the rivers - were forbidden to speak - or to study the rivers. -Jane Hirshfield's poem on creation

[Guest]

It may be interesting to see how other found lead contaminated areas are treated, like this one recently visited by the EPA chief in Indiana.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/35192...diana-stop

Maybe the underground water pipes leading to the park and it's water should be tested for lead as well. jmo

[Kapoho Joe]

Yet another reason to hele on Gypper. May the winds always be at your back.

[TomK]

A few signs like this may help.

https://goo.gl/RcIlFm

[Obie]

The lead is from the paint that has flaked off the bridge !


Don't eat yellow snow !

[TomK]

"How can this type of soil lead contamination be dealt with? Will the soil have to be removed entirely or can it be buried or treated?"

I vote for burying the soil. It'll lead (huh!) to many comedic opportunities only this island can provide.

[Lodestone]

Absurdity. The source is pegged as flaking paint from a bridge, decades ago, a mile away. Consider that many of us grew up in lead-painted houses, except when out leaded-gas burning-school bus took us to our lead-infested schools. Some people still live in lead-painted houses. Consider how much rain and river run has been cleansing the land and diluting the contamination (it likely was much worse a decade ago). And, as previously noted, consider that to actually present a risk, people need to dig up the grass and eat the soil.

Either: 1) The levels deemed "hazardous" need to be loosened a bit because the nanny-state has now gone completely bonkers.
or....... 2) The county has figured out a new way to chase the homeless out of the park.

Cranky old man rant over.
PS: Get off my lawn!