ST. LOUIS — Lead paint contamination in Saint Louis Public Schools has been a persistent concern, but there's now major progress to report.
This is a story the I-Team has been covering for years. Saint Louis Public Schools is replacing chain link fencing tainted with lead paint, a hazard that's lingered for over half a century.
The school system has been hard at work tackling the monumental task of replacing lead-painted fencing at 21 schools.
Tuesday marked a milestone as Mallinckrodt Academy became the 11th school to undergo this vital renovation. With an investment of $1.7 million, the school system is prioritizing the removal of lead paint, recognizing the dangers it poses when disturbed and inhaled or ingested.
5 On Your Side talked with SLPS spokesperson George Sells outside Jefferson Elementary, where the new fencing is already complete.
“Do families need to be worried that it's taking so long to replace these fences?” asked Senior Investigative Reporter Paula Vasan.
"It's really not taking that long. If you consider the magnitude of this project, I don't think there's a need to be worried. I mean, you know, we're doing this because we identified the problem and felt like it should be done. Nobody told us we have to do it," Sells said. "We're doing it because it's the right thing to do. And so we obviously are aware of where the problems are. They're being fixed as quickly as we can do it.”
The work to replace the fences has been going on since last summer. As Saint Louis Public Schools presses forward with its initiative to eradicate lead paint, the I-Team will continue to monitor developments closely.