Nearly 50 Queens Public Schools Tested Positive for Lead: DOE

Lead Paint (Photo: Department of Commerce)

Aug. 2, 2019 By Allison Griffin

Classrooms in nearly 50 different elementary schools in Queens tested positive for lead, according to new data released by the Department of Education Wednesday night.

Inspectors hired by the DOE found lead-based paint in 48 borough schools where children below the age of six study, according to the data. Many of the schools have multiple classrooms where peeling lead paint was found.

In total, the department inspected 797 school buildings across the city built prior to 1985 that house students younger than six years old. More than a third of the pre-K and kindergarten buildings, 302 schools, tested positive for lead, according to Chalkbeat.

Deteriorating lead paint is especially dangerous to young children who may breathe in lead dust or swallow paint chips. According to the CDC, lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, learning and behavioral problems, slowed growth and development and hearing and/or speech issues.

Although lead paint was banned in New York City in 1960, it can still be found in many older buildings. The Department of Education has custodian engineers who routinely check for visual signs of peeling paint and three times a year, they formally record their findings. The data released Wednesday is the first time the information has been released to the public, according to Chalkbeat.

“Our schools are safe, and this summer we’ve enhanced our protocols and strengthened communication with families around the steps we take to prevent lead exposure for kids under six,” said Miranda Barbot, spokeswoman for the education department, in a statement to Chalkbeat.

The below Queens schools tested positive for lead-based paint, according to the data released. Schools marked with * had multiple classrooms that tested positive.

P.S. 9 at 58-74 57th St. Maspeth, NY 11378

P.S. 12 at 42-00 72nd St. Woodside, NY 11377

P.S. 18 at 86-35 235th Ct. Queens Village, NY 11427

P.S. 19 at 98-02 Roosevelt Ave. Corona, NY 11368*

P.S. 21 at 147-36 26th Ave. Flushing, NY 11354*

P.S. 22 at 153-33 Sanford Ave. Flushing, NY 11355

P.S. 26 at 195-02 69th Ave. Fresh Meadows, NY 11365*

P.S. 32 at 171-11 35th Ave. Flushing, NY 11358*

P.S. 36 at 187-01 Foch Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11412*

P.S./I.S. 49 at 63-60 80th St. Middle Village, NY 11379

P.S. 68 at 59-09 Saint Felix Ave. Glendale, NY 11385

P.S. 71 at 62-85 Forest Ave. Ridgewood, NY 11385*

P.S. 80 at 171-05 137th Ave. Jamaica, NY 11434

P.S. 81 at 559 Cypress Ave. and P.S. 81 Annex. Ridgewood, NY 11385*

P.S. 84 at 22-45 41st St. Astoria, NY 11105*

P.S. 87 at 67-54 80th St. Middle Village, NY 11379

P.S. 89 at 85-28 Britton Ave. Elmhurst, NY 11373*

P.S. 90 at 86-50 109th St. Richmond, NY 11418*

P.S. 94 at 41-77 Little Neck Pkwy. Little Neck, NY 11363*

P.S. 98 at 40-20 235th St. Little Neck, NY 11363*

P.S. 106 at 180 Beach 35th St. Far Rockaway, NY 11619

P.S. 111 at 37-15 13th St. Long Island City, NY 11101*

P.S. 112 at 25-05 37th Ave. Long Island City, NY 11101

P.S./I.S. 113 at 78-23 87th St. Glendale, NY 11385

P.S. 115 at 80-51 261th St. Glen Oaks, NY 11004*

P.S. 122 at 21-21 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria, NY 11105*

P.S. 129 at 128-02 7th Ave. College Point, NY 11356*

P.S. 132 at 132-15 218th St. Laurelton, NY 11413

P.S. 133 at 248-05 86th Ave. Bellerose, NY 11426*

P.S. 147 at 218-01 116th Ave. Cambria Heights, NY 11411*

P.S. 152 at 33-52 62nd St. Woodside, NY 11377*

P.S. 154 at 75-02 162nd St. Fresh Meadows, NY 11366*

P.S. 159 at 205-01 33rd Ave. Bayside, NY 11361*

P.S. 162 at 201-02 53rd Ave. Bayside, NY 11364*

P.S. 165 at 70-35 150th St. Flushing, NY 11367*

P.S. 166 at 33-09 35th Ave. Astoria, NY 11106*

P.S. 171 at 14-14 29th Ave. Astoria, NY 11102*

P.S. 173 at 174-10 67th Ave. Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

P.S. 184 at 163-15 21st Rd. Whitestone, NY 11357*

P.S. 188 at 218-12 Hartland Ave. Flushing, NY 11364

P.S. 191 at 85-15 258th St. Floral Park, NY 11001*

P.S. 197 at 825 Hicksville Rd. Far Rockaway, NY 11691*

P.S. 213 at 231-02 67th Ave. Oakland Gardens, NY 11364

P.S./I.S. 269 at 86-37 53rd Ave. Elmhurst, NY 11373

Pre-K Center at 70-24 47th Ave. Woodside, NY 11377*

East Elmhurst Community School at 26-25 97th St. East Elmhurst, NY 11369*

Pre-K Center at 44-15 Judge St. Elmhurst, NY 11373*