The investigation was prompted by a Wall Street Journal report that found lead levels exceeding safe limits for children in more than 100 samples taken near lead-insulated cables in three states. EPA plans to take additional samples from other parts of the country.
The United States Telecommunications Association (USTelecom), which represents US carriers, said Verizon was cooperating with the EPA. AT&T also said it was cooperating with the investigation.
Operators using lead-insulated cables in their networks said the cables did not pose any threat and were not a significant source of environmental pollution. But the WSJ report says that lead in the cables can leach into the environment over time, contaminating soil, water and air.
The EPA is expected to release the results of the investigation in the coming months.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
