The Cathedral of Notre-Dame's spire, which collapsed in the fire, contained hundreds of tons of lead - the particles of which spread to nearby areas. The high levels of lead have caused great concern among the people of Paris and have caused two preschools to close.

Nevertheless, French authorities have argued that the Parisians are not at risk for lead poisoning, which has received sharp criticism from, among other things, an environmental organization that sued French authorities at the end of July for not warning the public of the risks. According to representatives of the environmental organization, French authorities have also not done enough to clean the area from lead.

The restoration is postponed

The renovation work has dragged on over time and therefore the restoration of the cathedral, which was supposed to be resumed this week, has been postponed for another week, AFP reports.

The renovation will only apply to nearby schools and the square in front of the cathedral. According to French authorities, treating the entire cathedral would be too costly.

May cause neurological defects

Intake of the lead particles can cause neurological defects, both kidney problems and damage to the nervous system, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Toddlers are particularly vulnerable because they are more likely to come into contact with contaminated objects than adults, reports AFP.