Toxic Soil Crisis: St. Paul Homeless Encampment Faces Severe Health Risks

POLICY WIRE — St. Paul, USA — A sprawling network of tents near the intersection of Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road has become the largest homeless encampment in St. Paul, situated precariously on land heavily tainted by industrial toxins.

Warning signs posted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) alert residents to the presence of lead, arsenic, and mercury in the ground. The site, which previously served as an automobile salvage yard from 1968 to 1989, is officially classified as a state superfund site, though it lacks federal designation.

Recent soil testing conducted by University of Minnesota researcher Emilie Snell-Rood revealed lead concentrations as high as 646 parts per million in the center of the camp. This figure is more than triple the threshold at which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends soil removal in residential areas.

Residents like Dan Campbell, who has lived at the location intermittently for 15 years, report worsening health issues, including respiratory problems and injuries from debris. Outreach workers estimate the population has surged to over 400 people following the closure of the Pig’s Eye encampment in August, though city officials provide lower estimates.

While the MPCA has sought funding for cleanup efforts, state lawmakers have repeatedly prioritized other projects, leaving the site largely untouched. A 2022 assessment estimated that full remediation would cost approximately $4 million.

In response to the growing crisis, the St. Paul City Council recently passed a resolution to pause further encampment closures for 60 days. The plan includes the introduction of a navigation tent and the development of both temporary and permanent indoor shelter options to move residents away from the contaminated soil.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)