Notre-Dame de Paris
Press release no. 12
The cathedral remains in a precarious state. It is a permanent source of pollution from lead dust and other metalloids released by the fire. The scaffolding that encircled the cathedral spire is still in place. It too is a major source of lead dust remobilisation.
After several unsuccessful attempts to decontaminate the forecourt, it was decided to cover it with a transparent resin to ‘encapsulate’ the lead. Work began in early February 2020, but was quickly suspended due to toxic fumes and the absence of a Safety Data Sheet specifying the resin formulation. Application of the miracle product resumed in mid-February. Doubts soon arose about the durability of this lead sealant, including within the ARS and the Paris Police Prefecture. ‘This resin will be as resistant as nail varnish’, says Jacky Bonnemains of the NGO Robin des Bois.
The forecourt therefore remains a polluted site that it would be dangerous to open to foot traffic. As a reminder, its western part remained accessible to tens of thousands of tourists and curious onlookers between May and mid-August 2019. During this period, the endangerment of other people’s lives and the culpable failings of the State services and the departments of Paris City Council appear indisputable.
A complaint to this effect was lodged by Robin des Bois with the Paris public prosecutor on 26 July 2019. The public health unit acknowledged receipt of the complaint and requested additional information at the beginning of August. These were sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in September in accordance with the deadline set. They were accompanied by additional information, in particular on lead contamination in schools. To date, Robin des Bois has not been informed of the progress of the investigation into the complaint.
The lead war is far from won. Lead poisoning occurs several years after lead has been incorporated and accumulated in the body.
Robin des Bois’ thunderous, persistent, documented and international campaign launched on 19 April 2019 has prevented the various authorities from sweeping under the carpet the health and environmental problems associated with the smelting and dispersion in particulate form of 400 to 500 tonnes of lead. The launch of this campaign prompted a volley of insults directed at Robin Hood (examples).
The crucial question is also whether the lead levels inside the rebuilt cathedral will be below 1000 µg/m2, the maximum threshold set by the Ministry of Health after clean-up work. If this is not the case, Notre-Dame de Paris cannot be reopened to worshippers and the public unless they wear FFP2 or FFP3 masks and overshoes.
On the other hand, the archaeological crypt under the forecourt was successfully decontaminated to below the threshold of 1000 µg/m2, even though lead levels were high, particularly near the emergency exit.
Link to Robin des Bois publications on the Notre-Dame de Paris fire.
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