To reduce the risk of exposure to lead in soils, THEP carries out soil management activities on prioritized properties in Trail and nearby areas. THEP soil management began in 2007 and thousands of yards have since been tested and hundreds have received soil management.
Soil testing is the first step and it’s free for all residents in the Soil Management Area. See the map and sign up online. Soil samples from yards are collected and analyzed for lead, cadmium, arsenic, zinc and other metals. Exterior paint is also tested for lead.
Plan ahead if you’re removing soil from your yard. All soil in Trail and surrounding areas requires testing, analysis, and approval before it can be taken to the landfill.
For qualifying properties, soil management is one way to reduce exposure to lead in your home and yard environment. There are a few ways THEP manages soil in yards:
Each of these options reduces exposure to lead in soil.
We’re here to help. Call THEP’s Community Program Office at 250.368.3256 or visit thep.ca to get started.
Priority is given to homes with children because children ingest more soil than adults, absorb lead more easily, and are more vulnerable to health impacts from lead exposure while their brains are developing. Our aim is to test soil at all residential properties.
Collecting soil samples takes half an hour.
Once soil samples are collected they are analyzed and a report is written.
THEP’s Community Program Office (CPO) team reviews and prioritizes each property based on the age of children, the quality of ground cover and lead levels in soil. Results are mailed.
If prioritized for soil management, CPO will contact you for next steps.
First, a plan is developed with the property owners, a contractor and CPO representatives.
Next, the work is scheduled. It takes about 2 weeks to complete once it starts.
Lastly, a completion form is signed. Your yard is now ready to enjoy and maintain.
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Andrea McCormick from the Trail Area Health & Environment Program team provides an overview of research on Pb (lead) and produce including an update on Pb levels of produce grown in Trail. The 2019 study on produce in Trail is available on thep.ca. This presentation is from 2021.
Soil management plans for each project are unique and depend on project details and soil test results. Metal contaminated soils may be risk-managed through a combination of:
Learning about possible sources of lead and how you and your child might be exposed can help you take action to reduce any risk.
Primary prevention is the most effective way to prevent lead exposure. Actions you can take to reduce the risk of lead exposure include:
Secondary prevention including blood lead testing and follow-up minimizes further exposure. Trail offers an annual voluntary blood lead testing clinic for children under five years old.
The Soil Management Program includes soil testing and, in qualifying yards, management (improvements to ground cover or replacement of soil) on a prioritized basis.
Given the large number of households in THEP’s Soil Management Area, assessments are prioritized based on the presence of children under 12 within areas that are known to have the highest levels of lead in the soil, such as those neighbourhoods closest to the smelter.
This program has been in place since 2007 and was expanded in 2019. The program is implemented by the Trail Area Health & Environment Program (THEP) through funding from Teck. Teck is the responsible party for annual soil management plans under the direction of the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change as per the Contaminated Sites Regulation of the Environmental Management Act.
A soil management plan is necessary because metallurgical facilities have been operating in Trail for well over a century. Historical aerial emissions from these facilities have resulted in the addition of metals, including lead, into the soil in the surrounding area. As a result, soil in the Environmental Management Area around Trail is likely to have metals above natural background levels and regulatory standards.
Teck is the responsible party for the Soil Management Plan under the direction of the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy as per the Contaminated Sites Regulation of the Environmental Management Act.
Teck is working with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to develop and seek approval for a long-term soil management plan called a Wide Area Remediation Plan. Once that plan is drafted, a full public consultation will take place prior to approval and implementation. Annual soil management plans are an interim step focused on highest risk properties.
The Wide Area Remediation Plan will continue to build on the work to address historical soil impacts in Trail and the surrounding area.
In recent years, major improvements have been made to lower metal emissions from Teck Trail Operations, resulting in improved air quality. This means that Teck is not adding as many metals, such as lead, into the soil and can now focus more on addressing the historical impacts to soil from past emissions.
For most people, the risks associated with metals in soil are low, particularly where soils are covered by grass or other materials. However, bare soils may increase exposure to metals and contribute to elevated blood lead levels in children.
Annual Soil Management Plans are interim plans, conducted under the direction of the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy as per the Contaminated Sites Regulation of the Environmental Management Act.
Teck is working with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Strategy to develop and seek approval for a long-term soil management plan, called a Wide Area Remediation Plan. Once that plan is drafted, a full public consultation will take place prior to approval and implementation.
The Wide Area Remediation Plan will continue to build on the work we have been doing to address historical soil impacts in Trail and the surrounding area.
Properties in Trail, Casino, Oasis, Rivervale, Warfield, Waneta, Montrose, south Castlegar, areas of RDKB Area A and B, areas of RDCK Area J and the edges of Rossland are in THEP’s Soil Management Area. View the map.
Get your soil tested as early as possible. Sign up online (it’s free). The soil testing season begins when the ground thaws in the spring and ends when the ground is covered or frozen in the fall. Testing when the ground is frozen would only take place under special circumstances.
In the annual soil management plans, priority will be given to properties where children under 12 live or visit regularly. This would include where children are present two or more days each week for periods of three hours or more, or a total of 60 hours or more each year.
Teck is working with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to develop and seek approval for a long-term soil management plan called a Wide Area Remediation Plan, which will over time address all properties within THEP’s Soil Management Area. Some properties will require no action.
Yes, it is safe to play at parks and playgrounds in Trail and in THEP’s Soil Management Area.
Parks and playgrounds in Trail, Rivervale and select parks in Warfield have been assessed and soil management has been completed where needed. Park spaces in the City of Trail are maintained to a high standard and generally have excellent ground cover. If you notice poor ground cover at parks or playgrounds, please contact the City of Trail and/or the Community Program Office. Still, always wash children’s hands (and yours) after outdoor play and before eating.
Unpaved alleys in Trail were identified as a potential source of lead by the Trail Lead Task Force. They recommended annual dust suppressant application to reduce dusting, which has been applied annually by the City of Trail since 1993. The City also completes annual monitoring and maintenance of unpaved alleys including grading and gravel placement.
A recent study was conducted in seven unpaved alleys in Trail to compare current soil and dust levels with historical data. Results showed that lead levels in alleys are lower than historical levels and below the levels where soil management is prioritized.
Residents with concerns regarding dusty conditions in unpaved alleys can report their concerns to the City’s grounds and roads superintendent.
Based on THEP’s understanding of how pets can be exposed to soil metals, and the published toxicity data for dogs and cats exposed to lead, it is unlikely that pets would be exposed to lead around Trail at a high enough level to cause any illness.
Still, pets can track contaminants from the soil into your home. It is recommended to wipe your pet’s paws and brush and bathe often to keep indoor dust levels down.
A Wide Area Remediation Plan (WARP) is defined in the B.C. Contaminated Sites Regulation as “a remediation plan for an environmental management area for one or more specific substances which have originated from one or more sources specified in the plan”.
Teck is working with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy on a WARP to address soil impacts from historical aerial smelter emissions.
An approved WARP for the Trail area will formally establish criteria and targets for soil management and monitoring of human and ecological health.
THEP’s Soil Management Program addresses individual properties in priority order and in recent years has been able to offer soil management to all priority properties identified. THEP now has capacity to trial soil management at the city block scale. Research shows that neighbourhood-wide soil management is an effective way to reduce community exposure to lead and the potential impact on children.
All blocks were considered for the pilot block initiative and were prioritized based on child occupancy and lead levels in the soil. If successful, the pilot block initiative may be repeated in the future.
If you have not had your soil assessed, consider getting it tested this year so the information is included for potential future block initiatives.
Soil management of entire city blocks is a pilot initiative in 2023. The process and outcomes will be monitored to determine if this should be repeated in future years.
All blocks were considered for the pilot block initiative and were prioritized based on child occupancy and lead levels in the soil. If your block has a relatively high number of children and elevated soil lead levels, it may be a candidate for a future block program.
Other considerations that may factor into the selection of blocks in the future include ground cover, accessibility for equipment and willingness of the neighbourhood to participate.
If you have not had your soil assessed, consider getting it tested this year so the information is included for potential future block initiatives.
The Pilot Block Initiative is an addition to the Soil Management Program and is not replacing soil management at priority properties.
All priority properties will be offered soil management in 2023, including those with difficult access for equipment.
THEP is piloting alternative solutions and equipment to provide soil management at prioritized properties with access limitations. Soil management solutions can vary and include replacing soil as well as covering bare soil and improving ground cover.
Blocks were evaluated using THEP’s existing soil management prioritization criteria, with a focus on children and known lead levels in the soil. Ground cover, accessibility for equipment and willingness of the neighbourhood to participate are other considerations that may factor into block selection.
It is a trial initiative to provide soil management to all yards within a city block. ‘Pilot’ refers to this being the first time a block is receiving soil management at one time. This will be monitored to ensure learning is incorporated into future program design.
Cover bare soil areas in your yard by improving lawn areas, mulching gardens or covering exposed areas with landscape fabric and rock.
Always wash hands before eating and after being outdoors.
Take shoes off at the door. Use floor mats at entryways.
Use a damp mop on bare floors and a damp cloth on windowsills, furniture, baseboards, and other surfaces kids touch, such as toys.
Vacuum floors with a good quality vacuum to capture dust particles.
Keep outdoor play areas clean. Cover the sandbox when not in use. Hose off decks, patios, play equipment and driveways often.
THEP has a regular newsletter that is delivered twice a year by Canada Post to residences in Trail, Casino, Oasis, Rivervale, Waneta and Warfield. The newsletter helps keep local families up-to-date on events, news, and programs in the area. If you would like to request a PDF version of the newsletter be sent to you by email, please fill out the form below. We won’t share your email address with anyone.
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