Playcentre kids show no signs of lead poisoning

Onehunga Playcentre. Picture / Greg Bowker

Blood tests performed on children attending the Onehunga playcentre in south Auckland show that none are suffering from lead poisoning.

Eighteen children were voluntarily tested after soil samples taken from the grounds of the playcentre revealed high levels of lead and small concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

The playcentre was one of nine council-owned preschool facilities in Auckland where soil testing was ordered because of historical industrial, commercial or horticultural land use on or near the sites.

Test results showed that none of the Onehunga children had elevated toxin levels in their blood.

Auckland City deputy mayor Bruce Hucker said the results were pleasing.

"These results will be reassuring for parents because they show that there is no evidence of lead poisoning and that the risk for these children has obviously been very low," he said.

Work to clean up the Onehunga Playcentre site had now finished and landscaping work was under way, Mr Hucker said.

A soil clean-up at the Mt Albert Playcentre started today after tests revealed elevated toxin levels on site.

Interim soil test results for Freeman's Bay Kindergarten showed evidence of some contamination.

- NZPA