Eco Group: Disneyland Exposes Kids to Lead

Mateel Foundation seeking an injunction against Disney
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 18, 2011 11:38 AM CDT
Eco Group: Disneyland Exposes Kids to Lead
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, Calif.   (AP Photo/Orange County Register, Joshua Sudock)

Beware riders of Mr Toad's Wild Ride: The Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation says it has found excessive lead in the brass door knobs at Minnie's House, stained glass windows in Cinderella's Castle, the handle of the Sword in Stone, and other items throughout Disneyland. The eco group is seeking a court injunction that would force the theme park to deal with those things or post health notices, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Mateel filed a suit in April, and its president says, "We are asking the court to force Disney to take steps that should have been taken when we first told them that children at Disneyland are in danger of illegal lead exposures." In court documents, Disney maintained it was in compliance with state law, but didn't comment specifically on today's injunction request. Mateel twice carried out wipe testing, in which participants wiped their hands with a type of moist towelette, touched an item in the park, then wiped their hands with a second towelette that was then analyzed. Lead exposure at Mr Toad's Wild Ride measured 5.82 micrograms; state law requires a warning if lead exposure for an average user tops 0.5 micrograms per day. (More lead stories.)

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