Lead Contamination Closes Lighthouse
By Sue Clark on Jan 14, 2008 in Featured 
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Air Force Closes Lighthouse Grounds
Apparently after completing recent renovations on the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, one area was overlooked…the grounds, which the US Air Force says is contaminated with lead, according to a story on WESH. Now no one is allowed on the grounds of the lighthouse, located between launch pads for space shuttles. The US Air Force acquired the light in 2000, and in 2002 the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation was formed. A complete restoration was finished in 2006. Photos of the work can be seen on the Foundation’s website.
Problems With Lead Exposure
The National Safety Council says even low levels of lead can cause learning disabilities, stunted growth, behavioral problems and other issues. The source of the contamination at the lighthouse is probably from the lead based paints used over the years. Testing is being done by the Air Force to check the levels of lead contamination and the type of cleanup that will be needed. In the meantime, the area is cordoned off. A statement has been issued by the Air Force and the Foundation:
“The Air Force is concerned about people coming in contact with lead in the soil while visiting the site,” it read.
“We can’t have the public or even our members on the ground if there is a threat to their safety,” according to George Diller of the Foundation
An Overreaction?
The question here is why was there no containment work done when the paint from the tower was being scraped off? Looking at the photos on the site, there wasn’t any containment. And lead paint was in use for many many years, and it should have been known that it may be an issue. Most older homes have it, and since it’s been found to cause so many problems, educational efforts to alert the public to its dangers are rather well known.
I also think that too much is being made of the issue. Granted, the grounds may have contamination, but usually it’s a prolonged exposure to lead that causes problems with health. Most of the problems with kids, who tend to put everything into their mouths, stem from living in a home where the lead paint is peeling off the walls. Now, how many kids are going to be eating the dirt at the lighthouse, or even just playing in it? And certainly no adults will be sticking their fingers in the dirt to taste test it.
So What’s Next?
Is the Air Force going to make an effort to contact everyone that’s visited the lighthouse in the past few years and have them come in for lead testing? I think not. But the way the story reads, that is exactly what should be done. The Air Force says it will have the test results back sometime this month, but methinks way too much is being made of this issue. Should everyone that’s ever visited a lighthouse be concerned about lead paint? Because they all had lead paint.
Let’s put this in perspective, please. There are far more worrisome health issues of the day than this doomsday sounding problem of potentially toxic contamination. Walk around anywhere in a town with older houses, and you risk exposure. And by older, I mean pre-1970. Personally, I think a sign warning visitors not to eat the dirt would have been sufficient.
Photo Credit: Cape Canaveral Lighthouse by kreuzader on Flickr (Creative Commons)
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