Jakarta to Confirm Study on High Lead Level in City Parks

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta provincial administration discovered lead content in painted infrastructures at Taman Maju Bersama or Move Forward Together Park (TMB) and Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces (RPTRA). This confirmed the research by Nexus3 Foundation in an international research network on the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (October 20-26, 2019).

Head of the city Forestry Agency Suzi Marsita explained that her side had conducted direct examination after receiving the report on the content of heavy metals that could inhibit children's brain development.

“We have tagged the location, and it [lead] was found in several parks, including one in Menteng,” said Suzi when met during a carnival on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Central Jakarta, Sunday, Oct. 27.

According to Suzi, the construction of TMB was executed by the Forestry Agency, while the management of RPTRA was the authority of Empowerment, Child Protection and Population Control Agency (PPAPP). She pledged to coordinate the next step and check the use of paint in all parks across the capital.

The agency head claimed she had not pocketed the exact number of parks exposed to lead, and so the study by Nexus3 would be used as a subject of evaluation. “The research revealed there were more RPTRA [contaminated with lead] than parks,” Suzi added.

Previously, Nexus3 Foundation announced it had tested the content of paint on a variety of playground equipment throughout five regencies of Jakarta. The result showed that 69 percent of the equipment contained lead poison as its concentration exceeded the limit considered safe by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) at 90 ppm.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA