Decades after the closure of the American Smelting and Refining Company in the 1990s, lead contamination remains a significant health threat in eastern Omaha, Nebraska. An investigation by the Flatwater Free Press and ProPublica found toxic levels of lead in soil throughout the area, including yards that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had remediated years ago.

The EPA designated a 27-square-mile section of Omaha as a hazardous waste Superfund site following the smelting plant's closure. Despite cleanup efforts, hundreds of residents reported being unaware of the city's lead contamination history, with some believing that EPA remediation had fully addressed the risks.

Over the past two years, the investigative teams collected soil samples from 620 homes in and near the Superfund site, following EPA sampling protocols. Residents signed up for testing, after which reporters collected 3 to 4 tablespoons of soil from the middle of their yards using sanitized equipment.

Environmental contamination experts consulted during the investigation noted that single soil samples can provide broad conclusions about contamination when a sufficient number are collected, a criterion the teams met.

The investigation continues to expand, with ongoing sample collection in nearby cities including Bellevue, Nebraska; Carter Lake, Iowa; and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

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EPA, Omaha, Nebraska, Environmental Protection Agency, American Smelting, Flatwater Free Press, Country’s Largest Residential Lead Superfund Site