Lead in sandboxes Amsterdam

GHealth risks due to lead in sand (box)!

Does your child like to play in the sandbox? Then pay attention to the color of the sand! Dark sand in the city center of Amsterdam appears to contain lead. At the beginning of this year, the National Institute for Public Relations and the Environment published a study showing that lead in the soil is harmful to the health of children from zero to six years old. Young children in particular are sensitive to lead because they absorb this substance more easily, which has a negative impact on learning ability. Young children often put their dirty hands in their mouths and ingest the contaminated sand in this way. To minimize lead intake, please provide the following tips:

– let your child play in a sandbox with clean white sand

– only grow vegetables in containers with clean soil

– cover the garden with a dense turf, plants or tiles

– prevent the ingress of (garden) soil into the house

– most parents already know this, but this lead can also occur in the tap water of Amsterdam; Before making a bottle, we recommend boiling the water first!

In 2010, the municipality of Amsterdam inspected the floor of playgrounds at primary schools, daycare centers, playgroups and after-school care. But due to the new insights into lead in the soil, the municipality is re-examining whether these playgrounds are clean enough. If necessary, measures will be taken again there. When playing in sand, we recommend that children mainly play in white sand and around schools!

Love,

Amber Cornelissen, pedagogue