Elevated Lead Levels Found On Trails Near Salem's McGrath Park

SALEM, MA — Wooded trails in the area of the upper soccer fields and playground at Salem's McGrath Park are off-limits Friday after elevated lead levels were found in the soil.

Salem officials said the samples were collected within one inch of the surface and triggered an immediate notification to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Officials said the city is working with the DEP on further testing and to determine the extent of the contamination.

Officials said no elevated levels were found in the soccer or playground areas and that children who played on the fields or playground would not have come in contact with the areas of elevated lead. Work was previously done to clean up contamination in more commonly used areas of the park.

The city does not plan to close the soccer fields or playgrounds at this time.

Concentrations of lead detected in shallow soil within the wooded area range from 400 parts per million (ppm) to 7,900 ppm. A number under 200 ppm is considered acceptable, while a number higher than 3,500 ppm requires immediate closure.

Officials believe the lead is a result of municipal waste dumped at the site in the early 1900s.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)