For more than a century, a lead smelter and other factories in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, spewed toxic dust across the city, contaminating the soil and causing lead poisoning. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Omaha have spent decades trying to clean it up.

But in 2019, the EPA acknowledged its plan may not do enough to protect kids, and the agency is reexamining the site to potentially expand the cleanup, which could result in more residential yards being remediated.

Journalists at the Flatwater Free Press and ProPublica teamed up to report on how well the cleanup effort is going. This included collecting soil samples from more than 600 yards in and around the affected area, called the Superfund site. Many people we met in the process told us they had never heard of the Superfund site and had no idea they could be at risk from lead exposure. They asked a lot of questions about how to stay safe.

So we talked to experts and got answers below.

Get Involved

We're testing the soil around Omaha, Nebraska, for lead, and we’re turning our attention to homes just outside the federally designated cleanup zone. If you live in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Carter Lake, Iowa; or the northern part of Bellevue, Nebraska, and are interested in having your soil tested, you can fill out our sign-up form. If anyone in your family has had elevated blood lead levels, you can contact reporter Chris Bowling at cbowling@flatwaterfreepress.org to share your experience.

Sign Up for a Free Soil Test

1. What is lead poisoning?

Lead poisoning occurs when lead, a toxic metal that was used in paint, gasoline and plumbing for decades, is ingested and builds up in the body, causing issues like developmental delays and behavioral problems in kids. It’s more of a concern for children because their bodies are still developing and they absorb more of the lead they inhale or ingest than adults. But lead poisoning can also affect adults, causing problems like high blood pressure, memory impairment and joint and muscle pain.

2. What are considered unsafe lead levels?

There is no “safe” level of exposure to lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a high level as 3.5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.

If your child’s test shows lead levels above that, the Douglas County Health Department will schedule an environmental risk assessment, which will include a home inspection and education about how to prevent exposure. The nonprofit National Center for Healthy Housing also has a good checklist for how to reduce lead exposure.

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