Researchers and students from Cal State Fullerton began collecting soil and water samples at parks in Ladera Ranch on September 14, the first environmental testing in the Orange County community since families reported at least six children diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, NBC Los Angeles reported. The samples will be analyzed for heavy metals such as arsenic and lead as well as pesticides, with results expected by the end of the year.
At the same time, the California Department of Public Health is reviewing cancer registry data to determine whether cancer rates in Ladera Ranch are higher than expected. The agency estimates that assessment will be finished this fall, and it has not confirmed a cancer cluster or identified any environmental cause, according to the CDPH Ladera Ranch page.
