Is it safe for children to play outside in residential yards?
It is safe for children to play outside in the yards of Norwood residents.
Please keep in mind, current research recommends hand washing after play or contact with urban soils where concentrations of contaminants maybe higher than soils in rural areas. Older homes with lead-based paint may have contributed to lead (Pb) in yard soil and historic pesticide applications (e.g., chlordane, DDT/DDE, etc.) might also be found in soil. Therefore, it's a prudent public health practice to wash hands, toys, clothes, and shoes after playing in yards to reduce any potential exposures.