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Notre Dame firefighters should be tested for lead, say campaigners
Source: The Guardian
Notre Dame firefighters should be tested for lead, say campaigners
Those who battled cathedral blaze could have been exposed to toxic substances, say experts
Kim Willsher in Paris
Fri 10 May 2019 16.58 BST Last modified on Fri 10 May 2019 18.25 BST
Firefighters who battled the Notre Dame cathedral inferno as well as neighbouring residents and those who watched the fire from the streets should be tested for exposure to toxic materials, campaign groups have said.
Experts consulted by the environmental group Robin des Bois have warned that the flames that destroyed the roof and spire of the medieval edifice sent at least 300 tonnes of lead into the air above Paris.
As well as the danger of lead particles, the organisation warned on Friday that other toxic substances, including those used to treat wooden beams destroyed in the fire, could have contaminated the cathedral site and surrounding area including the River Seine.
“We need a rigorous programme of analyses with a detailed map and regular follow-ups,” Jacky Bonnemains, the head of Robin des Bois, told journalists. He said the Paris authorities should enlarge the area to be tested to include the Tuileries gardens, private homes in west Paris and even the Elysée palace.
-snip-
Those who battled cathedral blaze could have been exposed to toxic substances, say experts
Kim Willsher in Paris
Fri 10 May 2019 16.58 BST Last modified on Fri 10 May 2019 18.25 BST
Firefighters who battled the Notre Dame cathedral inferno as well as neighbouring residents and those who watched the fire from the streets should be tested for exposure to toxic materials, campaign groups have said.
Experts consulted by the environmental group Robin des Bois have warned that the flames that destroyed the roof and spire of the medieval edifice sent at least 300 tonnes of lead into the air above Paris.
As well as the danger of lead particles, the organisation warned on Friday that other toxic substances, including those used to treat wooden beams destroyed in the fire, could have contaminated the cathedral site and surrounding area including the River Seine.
“We need a rigorous programme of analyses with a detailed map and regular follow-ups,” Jacky Bonnemains, the head of Robin des Bois, told journalists. He said the Paris authorities should enlarge the area to be tested to include the Tuileries gardens, private homes in west Paris and even the Elysée palace.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/10/notre-dame-firefighters-should-be-tested-for-lead-say-campaigners
