Hot playground?

[ljc@wbb.com]

I would appreciate the comments of medical and scientific
professionals with regard to Surface Gamma Radiation levels recorded
on a school playground located in Ontario, Canada. The school was
built near the site of a plant which, during World War II, created
high levels of radiation. A substantive volume of radioactive soil
has been removed from residential properties in the area.

One piece of Uranium ore recovered from the playground gave a
Radioactivity reading of from 700-800 micro R/h on contact. The known
range of background gamma radiation in southern Ontario is from 2.5 to
10 micro R/h.

Uranium results for a soil sample taken in the area where the ore was
recovered gave a measurement of 65.11 ppm. The Ontario Typical Range
is given as being 1.9 to 2.1 ppm for uranium in soil. The radium
result for the soil sample was 3.49 pCi/g, which is more than twice
the Upper Limit Normal for this area of 1.5 pCi/g.

My question is this: Do readings such as those I've presented create
any basis for health concerns on the part of those using a
playground? Can scientists suggest acceptable levels of radiation and
uranium in surface soil for a school property, or are there *no*
demonstrably safe levels for such an environment?

As a lay person I would appreciate informed comments. Thank you very
much.

Lori Cartmell.

(ljc@wbb.com)