City Park in East Palestine, which includes a pool, playground and tennis courts, is safe to use and play in, according to village officials, following soil testing by the Environmental Protection Agency. An Easter Egg hunt planned for this weekend will go ahead as scheduled.
Officials announced Thursday that the park's soil is "free from harmful substances."
"We're thrilled that the testing has confirmed that our beloved park is safe for our community to enjoy," East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway said. "We want to thank the U.S. EPA for their comprehensive evaluation, which has allowed us to put any concerns to rest and focus on the upcoming events that will be hosted at our park again."
According to the village, the EPA took surface and below-ground samples and tested for multiple chemicals and toxins, including dioxins, furans and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, at seven locations around the park. The testing was done to "determine if any chemicals are present at levels potentially harmful to people."
The report stated that while the seven locations do not include the entire park area, they represent areas of soil people would come in contact with as typical soil in the park.
"For this study, the most stringent screening levels were used," the report said. It concluded that "nearly all of the results are well below protective (safe) levels and there are no results that occur above the screening levels protective of people."
From the EPA's standpoint, the park is safe to use, the report said.
All of the mulch in the park, more than 90 tons, was removed, new soil was brought in, and all playground equipment was power-washed and disinfected, the village said.
You can view the EPA's testing results below:
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