Correction: The photo that was originally run with this story was a picture of the Children’s Center. The lead was found in a mat at the Cal Poly Child Development Preschool Laboratory. The caption said children are still there, but there are no children at the lab currently.
Cal Poly environmental health and safety staff discovered the presence of lead in an outdoor play mat used by children enrolled at Cal Poly’s Child Development Preschool Laboratory – a unit of the College of Liberal Arts Psychology and Child Development Department – earlier this month, according to reports.
Officials said that the risk of exposure to the lead from the play mat is considered relatively low, in part because children attend the preschool three days a week for 2 1/2 hours a day.
Parents of the children enrolled at the preschool were notified, and no cases of elevated blood lead content has been reported so far, said Dave Ragsdale, Environmental Health and Safety Manager at Cal Poly.
San Luis Obispo County Public Health Agency’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention specialists were contacted immediately and are working with Cal Poly to address the issue and provide parents with assistance.
Ragsdale said the university’s environmental health and safety staff are working with environmental consultant Millennium Consulting Associates to identify and address any materials that contain or may contain lead to ensure safety. They are thoroughly testing items such as toys, furniture and eating utensils for the presence of lead at the Child Development Preschool and the ASI Children’s Center on Campus Way, which is a full-time day-care center.
“This is a most unfortunate event, and we are truly sorry for any stress and concerns that parents of our preschoolers may have,” said Larry Kelley, vice president for administration and finance. “The health and safety of children enrolled in any Cal Poly program is of the utmost importance to us. We are taking every precaution to ensure that parents are informed and have the resources they need to deal effectively with the situation.”
The lead was found during a pre-maintenance inspection for the preschool, which is located across from the Kennedy Library. During maintenance work to replace a fence and two sheds in the play yard, staff noticed that a play mat in the yard had weathered and was creating dust, according to a press release.
A preliminary sample from the play mat surface resulted 766 micrograms of lead per square foot – which is considered within safe limits according to the lead exposure standards of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the industry standard. HUD standards indicate that materials containing more than 800 micrograms per square foot of lead are hazardous, according to reports.
A second, more thorough testing was conducted and the sample yielded more than 1,341 micrograms of lead per square foot.
A meeting was held Monday morning with environmental health officials to discuss the removal of the play mat and renovations of the Child Development Preschool. Facility services recruited Parc Environmental to ensure the safe removal of the play mat and other potential materials that may contain lead, and Staples Construction Company, Inc. of Ventura for the renovations, Ragsdale said. The removal of the play mat is anticipated to happen sometime this week.
A new play mat will be installed in the play yard, as well as new footings and a new concrete wall.
County public health officials are recommending that parents of the preschool students consult their pediatricians for possible lead exposure.
“Parents should consult their pediatricians and have their child take a blood lead test,” said Janice Babos, a public health nurse and coordinator of the San Luis Obispo County Health Department’s Childhood Lead Prevention Program. “Lead can be diminished by a good diet rich in calcium, iron and vitamin C.”
Cal Poly will pay for any unreimbursed medical expenses related to lead testing.
Babos said that the discovery of lead in a play mat is the first she’s aware of. Many products made in other countries are known to contain high levels of lead, and are common products exposed to children, she said. Jewelry made in China contains high levels of lead in the metal, as well as pottery and candies from Mexico.
Chipped or peeling paint in homes built before 1978 has increase lead content, and parents who are exposed to lead in the workplace, such as places where batteries are made or recycled, or radiators are repaired, could risk exposure to their child.
The effects of lead poisoning depend on the range and level the child was exposed, Babos said. Lead poisoning can make it hard for children to learn, pay attention and behave. It can also cause sleeplessness and seizures.
According to information from the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Web site, most children who have lead poisoning do not look or act sick. The only way to know if your child has lead poisoning is for your child to get a blood test for lead.
Information regarding possible lead exposure, testing information and a list of recalled items can be found at the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Web site at http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/health/prevention/childlead.htm.