Source: https://www.phillyvoice.com/, August 2, 2024
By: Kristin Hunt

Hexavalent chromium, a substance known to cause cancer, was found in four soil samples taken from the public trail at Bartram’s Garden last week.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials shared the results on a virtual town hall Wednesday night. DEP collected 11 soil samples from along the trail on July 22 after a visitor reported a possible chemical contamination, and tested the dirt for hazardous chemicals. Four of the samples exceeded standardized levels of hexavalent chromium, in at least one case by double the limit. (The standard for residential cleanups is 37 mg/kg, a measurement equivalent to parts per million. The highest reading was 77 mg/kg.) Two samples also slightly exceeded arsenic standards and one exceeded standard lead concentrations, though DEP officials argued these readings were not unusual for an “urban area like Philadelphia.” Read more.