A Little League team in East San Jose recently announced they were leaving the fields they have used for 50 years after Santa Clara County officials informed them they had to vacate the property. In a letter sent to Eastridge Little League, the county wrote the use of the ball fields adjacent to the Reid-Hillview Airport had been rescinded because of ongoing issues with leaded aviation fuel and FAA regulations.
Over the past year there has been focused attention on the local airport due to lead exposure issues. In a news release from 2021, Santa Clara County stated:
A study commissioned by the County of Santa Clara on lead exposure risks for children living in the area around Reid-Hillview Airport in East San José found that the continued use of leaded aviation fuel has contributed to increased blood lead levels, particularly for those within a half-mile of the facility.
“Most people have no idea that aviation gasoline (avgas) for piston engine aircraft is the only remaining transportation fuel still used in this country that contains lead,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing's Huntington Beach facility. “According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the use of this fuel is the largest remaining aggregate source of lead emissions to air in the United States.”
Offering laboratory testing services to identify lead exposure risks in/and around airports are the environmental and industrial hygiene professionals at LA Testing. They operate laboratories throughout California that provide testing services for lead and other heavy metals from air, soil, water, dust, paint chips, and other types of samples. LA Testing also offers sampling supplies and easy-to-use test kits.
To learn more about this or other environmental, air quality, health and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. For access to lead test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.
About LA Testing
LA Testing is California's leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.
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