Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ James Rojas
CHELSEA, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Some Chelsea residents are concerned after discovering potentially dangerous paint chips are falling from the decades-old Tobin Bridge.
Lead was discovered in green paint chips falling from the Tobin Bridge, causing concerns for the health of residents and businesses that live below.
"The paint is falling off and the rust is eating into the metal on the bridge," G.L. Dramus, a Chelsea resident, told WBZ's James Rojas.
He works and lives in the area and is concerned that the falling paint chips will affect his family and his neighbors' health.
One environmental justice non-profit said the state has been trying to rush efforts to address the problem and remediate issues linked to the chips after getting the samples tested.
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"Got the city to go and send some of these paint samples to a lab and have them tested and yeah it's off the charts the amount of lead in this stuff," said John Walkey, GreenRoots' director of waterfront and climate justice initiatives. "We do also think that there needs to be a number of steps taken to see what the impact has been on the residents here."
There are two daycare centers on either side of the bridge with outdoor playgrounds covered in the paint chips, Walkey said.
The bridge was built in the late 1940s when lead paint was more commonly used. The Environmental Protection Agency banned lead-based paint in 1978 after its effects on public health were discovered.
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