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East Helena
Superfund Site 
This series of
photos highlights the yard replacement
program that took place in East Helena to
remove soils that had been contaminated with
lead (also arsenic and cadmium). Mistakes of the past . . .
For
more than 100 years emissions from the
ASARCO Lead Smelter caused lead to be
deposited in the soils of East Helena. Microscopic lead particles were released from the tall stacks that still stand on the smelter property. At the smelter, which closed in the late 1990s, tall stacks were used to put the pollution higher into the atmosphere where winds would carry it away and spread it out more. Unfortunately, a significant amount of lead ended up falling in the community of East Helena where it became part of the soil. As children played they may have enhaled some of the dust (including lead particles). Some of the lead would dissolve in the moisture in their lungs where it would be absorbed into their blood.
In 1984 East Helena was added to the EPA's (Environmental Protection Agency)
Superfund Priorities List. Superfund sites are
places that must be cleaned up because they
pose a risk to human health and/or the
environment.
Lead in the bodies of children . . .
Analyses in 1975 indicated that children in
East Helena had elevated levels of lead in
their blood as result of inhaling dust from
lead-contaminated soils. During the clean-up,
which took place in the 1990s, the soil from
over 700 yards was replaced. The soil
replacement program continues to take place
as children move into houses where soils are
contaminated. Above:
The first step involved removing the soil down
to a depth of about 6 inches.
Below:
Next, new topsoil was brought in.
Bottom: Finally, sod was placed on
top of the new soil.  
Terms: Superfund Site, smelting
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