A new Texas A&M study has revealed “significantly elevated levels of heavy metal contaminants” in soil samples from Houston’s Greater Fifth Ward, raising concerns about public health risks in a neighborhood already impacted by creosote, a toxic substance linked to cancer. Some of the soil samples showed extraordinary levels of lead, particularly in residential and play areas, where concentrations were found to be four times higher than the state average.
Union Pacific, which is currently conducting its own testing has faced scrutiny from residents concerned about ongoing health issues, including a higher-than-normal incidence of cancer and childhood leukemia. While the Texas A&M study did not assess creosote levels, it was designed to establish “a baseline that could aid the development of environmental protection programs.”
In collaboration with local community organizations and with extensive participation from Fifth Ward residents, the Texas A&M research team collected 193 soil samples from July to November 2021. The samples were analyzed for heavy metals, including arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, and silver. The results were compared against benchmarks set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealing that lead levels in some areas far exceeded expected concentrations.
“Heavy metals and metalloids have been extensively studied and regulated over the past 50 years, but evidence is growing that contact is more prevalent than previously thought, especially in so-called cancer clusters like the Greater Fifth Ward, where most residents are socioeconomically disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities,” said Dr. Garett Sansom of Texas A&M’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.
Union Pacific responded to the findings, saying recent background samples “collected from 20 city, county and school-owned properties located away from potential contamination associated with the former Houston Wood Preserving Works Site” do not present a human health risk.
“We recognize how important this testing is to the Fifth Ward, and we are focused on making the process and findings accessible and clear as we work with the EPA to share the results. The results will be key to the upcoming health risk assessment and guiding next steps in the neighborhood,” Union Pacific spokesperson Toni Harrison said.
