Toxic City: Lead-poisoned soil in Philadelphia

GUESTS: WENDY RUDERMAN, BARBARA LAKER & THOMAS FARLEY

Some residents in Philadelphia are finding the soil in their backyards, dirt on their front stoop and sidewalks has high levels of lead. The “River Ward”—which includes Kensington, Fishtown and Port Richmond—was once the heart of Philadelphia’s industrial hub with many factories and smelters. Lead dust emitted from those smokestacks is now being unearthed by the area’s many construction projects. Small amounts of lead can lower a child’s IQ and cause behavioral problems— something of great concern to residents. In this hour, Marty talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists  WENDY RUDERMAN and BARBARA LAKER, about their series in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Phila’s toxic lead legacy. THOMAS FARLEY, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Health, will discuss the recent report and recommendations from the Philadelphia Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Advisory Group that says that lead paint is a persistent problem.