It would be too good to be true if everything went so smoothly. A year before December 8, 2024, the day Notre Dame is scheduled to reopen after the devastating 2019 fire, some are calling for work to be halted. The reason is the repair work of the roof frame that will be done with lead, which is considered dangerous to health.

Against the works due to the use of lead

Lead is responsible for the death of five million people worldwide. That is why the use of lead in the center of Paris implies the assumption of responsibility for the poisoning of the population, as the Senator for the environment Anne Suiri warned on Platform X. The former mayor of the French capital points out that no research has been conducted on the health risks inherent in the use of 500 tons of lead in Notre Dame. At the end of November, she organized a protest together with other health and environmental organizations, demanding a stoppage of work.

Why is lead a problem?

There are many considerations regarding the use of lead in Notre Dame, especially in relation to water runoff.

As the Supreme Council of Public Health estimated in 2021, the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris alone would release about 21 kilograms of lead per year into the runoff. In April 2023, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation due to “exposure of third parties to risk”, after several families and associations, which since the outbreak of the fire had warned about the health risks of lead, filed a lawsuit.

Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris, the public organization overseeing the cathedral’s restoration work, says it has very carefully investigated the problems the use of lead can cause. Director Philip Jost assured that the cathedral will benefit from an “innovative approach to environmental progress”, which will reduce pollution from rainwater runoff from the roofs. Also, improvements were made to the building’s fire protection system.

The Elysee Palace also emphasized that all necessary preventive measures will be taken. Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris will continue talks with environmental and health organizations. In any case, however, there is no need for extreme measures such as stopping work.

When the temple went up in flames on April 15, 2019, about 400 tons of lead went up in smoke and lead dust spread across sidewalks, bridges, parks and schoolyards near the temple.

Notre Dame

Restoration faithful to the original

It took four months to completely clear the area. As the health authorities announced at the time, 12 children were found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. Lead is a heavy metal that is considered toxic, carcinogenic and dangerous for human reproductive functions. Despite the health risks, French President Macron decided to build the church exactly as it was before – with an oak and lead roof.

To date, the rebuilding work is progressing surprisingly well – among other things, the dome, north and south gables are complete, as are the stained glass windows. From the end of November, passers-by can also make out the outline of the characteristic bell tower of the cathedral.

Although the re-opening of the temple is scheduled for December 8, 2024, much more work is to be done, especially to restore the pillars of the main temple and the choir. That is why the project will be fully completed around the end of the decade, i.e. between 2029 and 2030.