White and orange paint chips, “too numerous to count,” are falling from the 28th Street bridge overpass onto the banks of the Jones Falls. Worse yet, they’re full of lead — 36 times over the standard limit.
Lead paint chips ranging in size from “tiny” to about 10 inches across are covering the area underneath the North Baltimore bridge, leading to several violations of state environmental law, an inspection report from the Maryland Department of the Environment says.
A lab test on a paint chip collected during an inspection earlier this month found 180,000 milligrams per kilogram of lead, when the standard limit is 5,000 milligrams per kilogram, the report says. The inspector noted that the paint underneath the bridge was peeling and was the source of the chips on the ground.
The inspector found the city violated state environmental codes due to the paint chips’ presence in the Jones Falls stream and stream slope, the Jones Falls Trail and on a road between the Falls Road properties underneath the bridge. The state inspection didn’t observe paint chips upstream of the bridge, the report says.
“We responded to this matter as soon as we were made aware of it and collected paint chips for laboratory analysis. We have directed the City Department of Transportation to collect the chips, handle them as hazardous waste and to take steps to prevent the release of additional paint chips. We will follow up to ensure that the environment and public health are protected,” said Jay Apperson, spokesperson for the state’s environmental department.
Baltimore City’s Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to questions Saturday.
Show Caption1 of 10Paint peeling from the W 28th Street JFX overpass, facing southwest, while standing on the road between the properties at 2701 and 2801 Falls Road, Baltimore. (MDE/Courtesy)
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