With the Olympic Games coming up in 2024 for Paris the decision has been taken to really spruce up the Eiffel Tower. It is normally repainted every 5 - 7 years but this time it will be taken back to bare metal, and the colour changed to be more like the original paint job. Too high a presence of lead particulates has stopped work on the repainting of the Eiffel Tower. For this 20th repainting it was decided to take the old paint off down to bare metal. The problem is that prior to 1995 all the layers contain lead, and despite the precautions they are finding too high levels of particulates in the air. The Eiffel Tower has lost 52 million euros during the pandemic, but is in receipt of government aid and has not sacked any of its 340 employees.
The Greek industrial coatings company that won the contract appears to have underestimated the health and safety requirements of the Paris City Authority. Taking the paint off, even with a chemical gel type paint stripper, has meant that the paint layers prior to 1995, which all contain lead, are being exposed and lead is being released into the air at higher than the safe levels.
So far, a solution has not been found.
Work halted in February.
Note: these photos date from 2002, and are just for illustrative purposes. They do not reflect the current situation.
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1 comment:
Susan.... "So far, a solution has not been found"
They are using a gel..... that's why!!
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