This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
Published on July 29, 2019, a devastating fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris released hundreds of tonnes of lead into the air, sparking concerns about exposure to the toxic metal.
As cleanup work at the cathedral was halted, two schools near the gothic landmark were indefinitely shut down after tests revealed high levels of lead pollution on a shared playground.
According to a lawsuit filed by the Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) NGO, health agencies, government officials, and the city of Paris 'deliberately put people in danger' by not immediately taking measures to limit exposure to the contamination.
"The relevant authorities, including the diocese, neglected to assist residents, visitors, and workers, allowing them to be exposed to the toxic fallout," the NGO stated.
High levels of lead were detected in schools and daycare centres surrounding Notre-Dame, with one test result showing 698 microgrammes of lead per square metre, 10 times higher than the 70-microgramme level considered potentially dangerous.
Parents and local officials have stepped up their criticism of how authorities have addressed the potential risks following the decision to close the schools, more than three months after the disaster.
