Wausau Pilot & Review Open Search
By Shereen Siewert
Toxicologists with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is recommending Wausau take steps to keep children away from city-owned property where high concentrations of heavy metals were detected earlier this year.
Test results at city-owned property, once targeted for potential redevelopment, show high concentrations of substances including thallium, which is now banned in the U.S. due to its extreme toxicity to humans. Portions of the property, at 1300 Cleveland Ave., are not fenced and can be easily accessed by the public.
In their letter to the city, DHS toxicologists also caution that residents living adjacent to the property should implement urban gardening practices and avoid tracking soil into their homes to avoid potential exposure. Among their recommendations: create a raised bed garden with store-bought soil, wear gloves while gardening or handling soil, wash hands to prevent hand-to-mouth exposure, wash pr