June 12, 2008 Kids clean up city's lead paint problem Play video

(Danica Pecirep, NECN) - There is a serious health problem in Worcester. It's all spelled out in a new film, and the message is clear. It's time to do something about it.

Lead paint that's lurking around in old buildings and in the soil- can lead to serious health Consequences- and the levels still found in Worcester are among the highest in the country. One group has made it their mission to put an end to the problem.

Sixteen year old Averi Hamilton is a toxic soil buster. She and a handful of other area kids spend their free time helping city residents test their soil for lead. 85% of the yards they have tested have turned out to be double the limit deemed safe by the EPA.

To further their mission- the Toxic Soil Busters have created a documentary...where they explain how many of the old triple deckers that were designed to house immigrant factory workers in Worcester - were painted with lead based paint so they would last- but then in the 1970's - lead paint was found to be harmful.

Danica Pecirep has more.