A worker sprays an adhesive product on the ground to gather up the lead particles in the school yard of Saint Benoit primary school in Paris, France, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019. Workers have started decontaminating some Paris schools tested with unsafe levels of lead following the blaze at the Notre Dame Cathedral, as part of efforts to protect children from risks of lead poisoning. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
PARIS (AP) - Paris regional authorities say decontamination and cleanup work at Notre Dame cathedral will resume on Aug. 19 after new equipment and stricter safety procedures ensure workers are not exposed to unsafe levels of lead.
The administration suspended the job of removing hazardous substances from the fire-ravaged cathedral last month under pressure from labor inspectors concerned about health risks for workers.
Paris authorities said Friday new equipment, including decontamination units, will be operational by the end of next week. They said this will prevent "any release of polluting elements to the outside."
Hundreds of tons of lead in Notre Dame's spire and roof melted during the April fire.
This week, workers have started decontaminating some Paris schools as part of efforts to protect children from risks of lead poisoning.
Scaffolding platforms are set up at Notre Dame Cathedral, in Paris, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, as the preliminary work begins to repair the fire damage. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Tuesday April 16, 2019 file image made available by Gigarama.ru shows an aerial shot of the fire damage to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. A French activist group has filed a lawsuit over health threats from toxic lead released in Notre Dame Cathedral's devastating fire. Hundreds of tons of lead melted when the April fire destroyed the cathedral's roof and spire, and exceptionally high lead levels were later recorded in the surrounding air. (Gigarama.ru via AP, File)
The Associated Press