Notre Dame Repair Crews Are Back To Work, But Paris' Lead Concerns Remain
Environmental and labor groups complain the cleanup should have begun sooner, and they are concerned about health risks in Paris.
Work at the site of France's damaged Notre Dame Cathedral resumed on Monday, after a three-week pause over concerns about lead that spewed from the fire in April.
As the blaze ripped through the 850-year-old cathedral's roof and steeple, smoke billowed out — its yellow hue a sign of burning lead — spreading toxic dust that settled on streets, homes, businesses and schools in parts of central Paris.
A cleanup of Notre Dame's plaza and surrounding streets began Aug. 13, and Paris police chief Michel Cadot says it will last until Sept. 10. The process involves vacuuming and scrubbing the pavement, using a high-pressure
