New Orleans Environmental Quality Test Results

Two years after Katrina, the soil in some parts of New Orleans, including schools and playgrounds, is contaminated with high levels of arsenic.

An NRDC scientific team has made repeated trips to New Orleans, beginning in October 2005, to investigate potential health threats in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The following pages present detailed results of testing by NRDC, the EPA and other groups, as well as a health advisory and cleanup recommendations for individuals and government agencies. Federal officials have failed to monitor adequately for these health risks and have neglected to warn the people of New Orleans of the threat to their safety.