Toxic Schools in the News

"Put the argument into a concrete shape, into an image, some hard phrase, round and solid as a ball, which they can see and handle and carry home with them, and the cause is half won."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Resources

Toxic Schools News

* Published articles and commentary pertaining to Toxic Justice.
Please click on archives link below for articles older than two months.
-If you think your school is safe, that toxic exposure prevention is not necessary, consider that the parents of children in these schools thought the same thing.
-In the articles below, few if any report the names of hazardous substances or toxic chemicals to which children had been exposed.

May 2011

5/15/2011 Noxious odor plagues poor desert communities, (LA Times) "The burning stench first enveloped Saul Martinez Elementary School in December, sending two teachers to the hospital and forcing a classroom lockdown as firefighters searched the grounds for the source of the noxious odor."
5/15/2011 Ban mobile phones and wireless networks in schools, say European leaders (TheTelegraph) "The report also highlighted the potential health risks of cordless telephones and baby monitors, which rely on similar technology and are widely used in homes. Fears have been raised that electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless devices can cause cancers and affect the developing brain."

March 2011

3/10/2011 Officials encounter raw sewage, nauseating odors in east valley tour, (Mydesert.com) CA "The piles aren't as tall today, but they still send gut-wrenching odors a half-mile downwind to Desert Mirage High School and Toro Canyon Middle and Las Palmitas Elementary schools. “We're not sure how severe the (health) threat is,” said Anna Vargas, ..."
3/10/2011 Toccoa, school system also keeping records about odor from business in Stephens County, (IndependentMail.com) TOCCOA, Ga, "The situation involving the biofuel and fertilizer plant was a topic of discussion Monday at a Toccoa City Commission work session. The plant is near Stephens County Middle School, the Stephens County recreation department offices and the Stephens County Senior Center."
3/10/2011 School Sitting on Toxic Oil Requests Location Change, (Nearsay) NY "According to DNAinfo, the East Village Community School is situated on top soil that is currently mixed with oil, which teachers claim to smell in the hallways. Furthermore, as renovations are made on the school, Principal Robin Williams addressed a concern that the efforts of the construction workers can potentially release more toxins into the air."
3/10/2011 Family of woman who died years after asbestos exposure at school awarded £240,000 by court, (Mail Online) UK "Mother-of-two Dianne Willmore died of the cancer mesothelioma, aged 49, after she was exposed to asbestos in roof tiles in her secondary school which were disturbed during school pranks and routine maintenance."

November 2010

11/5/2010 From city to the feds, no one raised warning about hazardous waste, (Malakoff News)
"According to records, officials at the city, county, state and federal level knew about a building that housed a hazardous waste dump in Malakoff long before any action was taken to clean or secure the dangerous site, even though there was evidence that children were playing in the building. . .The memo also points out that the Malakoff Elementary School campus is within one mile...There is no evidence, however, the public was ever warned before 2009."
11/4/2010 School plans rankle parents in Monroe, (Sentinel) "Of chief concern to some parents is the presence of asbestos at Applegarth and the fact that fourth- and fifth-grade students would be attending school in an active construction zone."
11/2/2010 Chemical fire closes New Bedford school, 8 firefighters evaluated at hospital, (WPRI) Mass. "A chemical fire at a New Bedford middle school has forced the cancellation of classes Tuesday. Eight firefighters were taken to the hospital after battling the fire inside Keith Middle School on Hathaway Boulevard Monday night."
11/2/2010 Cleveland Wants New Elementary School, (Chattanooga Pulse) "Floor tiles in the school have been discovered to contain the carcinogen and need to be replaced or encapsulated."
11/2/2010 Molalla River School District Measure 3-365 defeated, (Oregon Live.com) "School employees and students have long had a litany of complaints about the 60-year-old building -- known for its leaky roof, crowded hallways, and possible asbestos in the attic -- but voters still rejected a bond measure for a new middle school building in 2006."
11/2/2010 Construction odors problematic at Strafford School, (UnionLeader.com) New Hampshire, "The school is building a new addition, Gregoire said, and equipment and materials used over the last two days have created odors students aren’t accustomed to, such as adhesives and exhaust. 'You expect to have those smells at a construction site and you don’t expect them in a classroom,' he said."
11/1/2010 Horseheads athletic fields removed from DEC lists of waste sites, (IthacaJournal.com) "But Walter Hang, president of Toxics Targeting Inc. in Ithaca who uncovered information about the 3-acre former dump site while doing research on the Horseheads Schlumberger project, said he is extremely distraught with the way that the district handled this matter.'When I identified the concerns at the site approximately a year ago, they did everything they could to bury their head in the sand and tried to do very limited testing to show that there was no impact,' he said."

October 2010

10/23/2010 , Smoldering rubble site fouls neighbors’ air, (Rapid City Journal) "Students and staff in the Douglas School District have complained of headaches since the fire started, according to superintendent Loren Scheer."
10/23/2010 School work high priority, (The Spokesman Review) Spokane WA "The health risks associated with poor ventilation and toxins such as asbestos and lead – the norm for many Washington schools – lead to lethargy and lack of focus in the classroom and ultimately illness and absenteeism."
10/22/2010 Omaha high school students exposed to mercury, (NTV-
ABC) "OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Several students at Omaha's Burke High School have been exposed to mercury, and school officials are trying to determine where the chemical came from...Television station KMTV reports eight students were being treated at hospitals."
10/20/2010 Sewage Scent Plagues School, (11WTOK.com) "Choctaw County, Ala.
Choctaw County Elementary School has been plagued by a strong scent of sewage since the fall semester began. Experts have been consulted and dozens of drainage correction steps have been performed, but the odor continues to waft through the hallways."
10/18/2010 Toxic schools: Grand jury laid out mold problem (Orlando Sentinel) "A handful of South Florida lawmakers introduced bills in 2004 that would have required schools to aggressively monitor and address mold problems and even file progress reports with the state. But the legislation never went anywhere. . .So, today, there still are no statewide rules in Florida governing how public schools should monitor, detect and handle air-quality problems in one of the hottest, most humid states in the country."
10/17/2010 Toxic schools: Mold, air quality spark thousands of complaints in Central Florida (Orlando Sentinel) "Moldy classrooms and other indoor-air-quality issues have sparked thousands of complaints from teachers and students during the past three years, an Orlando Sentinel investigation has found. Mold has infested walls and ceilings, ruined books and furniture and, in some cases, led to the wholesale evacuation of children from classrooms."
10/17/2010 Toxic schools: Could mold be the reason your child is sick? (Orlando Sentinel) "For example, Aspergillus and Stachybotrys, which have forced the closure of homes and schools across the country, have been linked to lung and respiratory infections. Children are especially vulnerable, health experts say, because their organs are still developing and they take in more air relative to their body size than adults."
10/16/2010 Edina Schools Evacuated After Chemical Spill, (KSTC-TV) Minnesota "Fire officials say a tank used to hold and neutralize chemicals for the school's science labs backed up and began leaking. Hazmat crews also evacuated a nearby middle school."
10/13/2010 Potentially lethal chemical cache found in old school outhous3, (Newbury Today) UK "The chemicals, in half-litre to 2ltr containers, included nitric acid, which can be used as a component in rocket fuel and reacts explosively with many organic materials, barium peroxide which burns skin on contact and can explode on contact with combustible substances and toluene, which can affect kidneys, nervous system, liver, brain, and heart."
10/13/2010 Long Island School Evacuated Because Of Odor, (CBS News NY) "Children from grades 2, 3, and 4 were evacuated and taken to a nearby school after the odor, which the fire chief described as a rotten smell, was coming from the drain in the kitchen."
10/12/2010 Students Fed Up with Attending Stinky School in KCK, (Fox4kc.com) Kansas "KANSAS CITY, KAN - Some students say they've been very distracted at Fairfax Campus Alternative School in Kansas City, Kan. They say they've been holding their noses because of a foul odor throughout the school. A school district official says maintenance staff have been working on the problem since they discovered the stench last week. But FOX 4's Mary Pulley has been told students have had to endure the smell much longer than that"
10/9/2010 $1.4M deal to address repairs at Meyers , ( Times leader) Wilkes Barre"Dunmore Roofing will deal with the school’s recurring roof and parapet concerns" " Dunmore Roofing calls for removing the problematic part of the parapet that juts up and out – thus lowering it – and replacing old roofing, including some containing asbestos, with new roofing guaranteed for 20 years."
10/09/2010 Howay gets facelift - others get upgrades, (The Record) Canada "
The school's renos included a new fire sprinkler system, new hallway and classroom flooring, asbestos abatement, painting inside and out, new ceiling tiles and electrical upgrades. "
10/9/2010 Scarborough plans fix for school's stuffy atmosphere, (The Portland Press Herald) "The discovery of asbestos during the installation of storm windows this summer prompted school officials' decision to keep the windows shut. Asbestos was present in the old window glazing and school officials feared that opening and closing the windows would make more glazing come loose."
10/9/2010 Additional improvements scheduled for Laurel Plains, (LoHud)" It is believed that the piping had previously allowed water to stagnate and create foul odors that were carried by the wind to several nearby fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms."
10/8/2010 Asbestos discovered at Liverpool Middle School, (9WRSYR.com) NY "Liverpool (WSYR-TV) - During recent renovations at Liverpool Middle School, contractors discovered asbestos. As a result, students and staff will get an extra day off added to their Columbus Day holiday."
10/6/2010 Strong Fumes Close Oakstone Academy Building (Columbus NBCi) "The middle/high school building at Oakstone Academy, 939 S. State St. is dismissing early Wednesday because of a strong odor in the building. The school's gym floor was sealed, and the resulting fumes are strong."
10/3/2010 Mobile County school board tours 3 schools in tough shape (Mobile Press Register) "In the older parts of her campus, one room may be hot while the one next door is cold, because of a faulty air conditioning system. And in at least 1 classroom, water comes in the window when it rains. "
10/2/2010 Teachers have sent letters to district to complain about the school's condition (Times Transcript) Canada "Some say they have been off sick and blame the old building for making them ill.Kirkpatrick says they're taking those complaints seriously and while the air in the school has passed recent air quality tests, they will do more testing the beginning of next week."
1/10/2010 Clarkstown school board members split on handling of Laurel Plains odor, (LoHud.com) "Laurel Plains Elementary was evacuated Sept. 23 after staff and students began saying that the sewer-like odor they had been smelling for days was making them ill. Some said they experienced headaches, nausea and lightheadedness from the smell."

September 2010

9/30/2010 Cause of illnesses still a mystery at vocational school, (TriCities.com) "In early September some students and faculty inside the vocational school on Science Hill's campus reported a strange smell and a few experienced some illness."
9/30/2010 Rockport firms up school roof reimbursements, (Goucester Times) "Citing frequent leaks and health and safety concerns due to the potential for mold growth and slippery surfaces, school officials sought a $1.56 million debt exclusion in May 2008 to pay for repairs to the Middle/High and Elementary school roofs.
9/30/2010 Repair work continues at Moncton High School But school will remain open unless more serious issues are discovered, (Times&Transcript) Canada, "The district was told it was safe for staff and students to be in the school during repairs, but officials decided to close the school to be safe."
9/30/2010 State agency tests air quality at Wentworth School (The Forecaster) Oregon, "The testing comes after a recent discovery of asbestos in the school's windows led to further discussion of mold and radon levels in the school."
9/30/2010 Mercury fears linger-Boone promises full review of hazmat response time, Worcester MA, "After the boy took nearly half a pint of mercury to school Sept. 21, a massive response from local, state, and federal public safety officials started a cleanup and follow-up effort that included decontamination of the building; getting 185 urine samples of students and staff affected by the contamination at the school; and ongoing inspections of 123 properties to see if the contamination made its way into students' homes. "
9/30/2010 Laurel Plains school's air clean; odor's cause eludes tests (LoHud.com) "After environmental consultants declared the Laurel Plains Elementary School building, its air and sewer system clean, they began testing the air and soil outdoors for an explanation of what caused foul odors that made some people sick in the past two weeks."
9/29/2010 Time added to Kromrey Middle School's schedule to make up for lost days (Wisconsin State Journal) "A new schedule to make up almost 32 hours of missed school time due to mold problems earlier this month will begin Monday at Middleton's Kromrey Middle School, according to a letter sent to parents Wednesday from superintendent Don Johnson."
9/29/2010 Governor vetoes bill requiring schools to use least hazardous pesticides (MercuryNews) "ONCORD -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a Senate bill that would have required all schools in California to use the least hazardous pesticides available."
9/29/2010 Fines and investigation follow improper asbestos removal at an Australian school (Meso RC) Australia, "The Courier-Mail reported that an inspector from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) discovered the violation when he responded to a complaint about a lack of barricades and excessive noise at the Burpengary State School."
9/20/2010 Dickson Elementary in Asheville briefly evacuated, Ashville NC "ASHEVILLE — A faulty light fixture component resulted in the evacuation of Dickson Elementary School for a few minutes this morning."
9/6/2010 Stench harms Olde Towne Daphne's charm "DAPHNE, Ala. — There’s a foul smell near Bayside Academy at the end of Dryer Avenue, and the odor has been there for more than a year...
However, the second building, nearest to the bay and located farthest west, does not produce enough water consistently to transfer sewage to Daphne Utilities’ lift station, Bailey said."

August 2010

8/22/2010 The Earth will move: Poisoned Hamden neighborhood braces for epic cleanup (video) (New Haven Register) "Evidence of contaminated soil surfaced a decade ago when the Board of Education, intent on renovating the former Hamden Middle School on Newhall Street, found the waste fill in test borings. Further investigation revealed that batteries, empty ammunition shells, ash, slag and coal waste, as well as heavy metals and household trash, was buried at various locations. Elevated levels of lead were detected at 13 homes, triggering an emergency removal by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The removal was considered temporary until a final cleanup is performed."
8/20/2010 Mold Found In More Iowa Schools (Iowa AP News) "SPRINGVILLE, Iowa (AP) ― Mold has delayed the start of class in more Iowa schools. Officials in Springville, near Cedar Rapids, say mold has been found in an elementary school. The mold was found on Thursday, and students were sent home early."
8/20/2010 Students, teachers hospitalised after science experiment mishap (The Age) Australia "Four students and two teachers have been taken to hospital after a science experiment went wrong at a school in Melbourne’s north-east this afternoon. The primary school class in Preston was conducting an experiment with a magnesium when the metal-based powder ignited and sent a fumes throughout the classroom about 1pm, paramedic team manager Stephen Moody said."
8/20/2010 BP may have found source of pipeline leak (Post-Tribune) "HAMMOND -- BP believes it has found the source of the pipeline leak that spread noxious fumes throughout the neighborhood and shut down several streets near Gavit High School for the past week."
8/20/2010 Greens fire shot at building revolution (Northside Chronicle) Queensland "... Sandgate State High School. Students and staff at the school may have been exposed to asbestos-containing Asbestolux during work late last year. This month, letters were sent to notify the school community of the possible exposure."
8/19/2010 Construction fumes spur Salisbury High complaint (The Morning Call) "The mother of a Salisbury Township High School student is concerned that a construction project at the school may be making students ill, but district officials say air quality requirements have been met."
8/19/2010 Parents worry kids, teachers exposed to asbestos at NSW primary school (IBTHealth) "Parents are complaining that children and teachers at a Mt. Pleasant primary school had been exposed to asbestos fibre for two weeks before diggings at the school were stopped when a mother noticed the deadly substance in the soil."
8/9/2010 Hearing set on Marsh Fork coal dust case (Charleston Gazette) "VA MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A Raleigh County judge will hold a hearing later this month on a medical monitoring lawsuit claiming hundreds of children were exposed to toxic coal dust from a Massey Energy Co. processing plant and silo next to Marsh Fork Elementary School."

June 2010

6/2/2010 Student's Poisoned at Queens Elementary School: Air conditioning Fluid Sickens 74 Kids (AP) "NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Dozens of elementary school students were sickened Tuesday after they drank pink-tinted fountain water that was contaminated by a leaky air conditioner, city officials said."

May 2010

5/21/2010 Hart County BOE approves plans for repairs at two schools (IndependentPress.com) South Carolina "We’ve had issues with leaking and some mold that obviously we have to eradicate.”
5/21/2010 Thomas chosen new Mountain Home Kindergarten principal (BaxterBulletin.com) Arkansas "Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Walker presented the board with the cost of eliminating lead paint and asbestos from NWH before the scheduled new construction can begin at the close of school."
5/20/2010 All Dayton schools alerted to keep students inside (Dayton Daily News) Ohio "All of the district’s 32 schools have been alerted to keep students inside Thursday, May 20, because of possibly toxic smoke from the fire at Franklin Iron and Metal, Dayton Public Schools spokeswoman Melissa Fowler said."
5/20/2010 Scripps Ranch Senior High School Evacuated by Gas Fumes (SanDiego6) SAN DIEGO - "The odor of natural gas fumes prompted the evacuation of Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego Thursday."
5/20/2010 Traces of PCBs in town buildings (Boston.com) "Recent tests have revealed high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, a potentially dangerous chemical know as PCBs, in some town buildings, including Estabrook Elementary School and Jonas Clarke Middle School."
5/20/2010 Findlay landfill causes odors and health concerns (Pittsburg Tribune-Review) "While the report concluded there was no immediate health problem, levels of two chemicals from the landfill detected in the Wilson school parking lot, represented "a potential for an acute public health hazard in the parking lot.'
5/19/2010 Health Department says mercury in Myrtle Grove gym floor posed no threat (WWAY3) N.C. "Local health officials have completed the testing of mercury vapor levels of the gymnasium floor at Myrtle Grove Middle School and have determined that the levels are below the Minimum Risk Level (MRL) established by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)." Was the minimum risk level used for adults or children?
5/19/2010 Security installed at Board of Education office after confrontation (North Haven Citizen) "Since his freshman year at NHHS, Anthony Hannon has suffered a series of worsening asthma attacks inside the school, which he said were caused by poor air quality and hidden mold problems."
5/19/2010 Mold at Little Rock's Hall High? (ArkansasMatters.com) "They tell KARK their doctors have told them the mold is making them sick with papillomas or growths in their eyes and throats. Fearing job loss, the teachers were afraid to be interviewed even if their faces and voiced were concealed."
5/19/2010 Strong Odor at Flinn Elementary Has Parents Concerned (WSAZ) SISSONVILLE, W.Va. "Toxic fumes from the glue used to tile floors was laid down and had parents fuming about the safety of their kids.'
5/19/2010 School Fumes Prompt Parents to Pick up Kids ( wsbtv.com) Video about parents concern for their children exposed to fumes from a roofing project.
5/19/2010 Windowless school to be dug out of the dirt (KARE11.com) Twin cities MN " 'We had so much moisture build-up, mold and so forth, so we had to do a lot of air conditioning and heating even during the wintertime in order to get all the bad air out,' said Elroy Latzig, chairman of the Central School Board"
5/19/2010 Leaking Roofs a Concern for Guilford Co. School Officials (MyFox8.com) Grennsboro NC "School officials said the leaking roofs are an important concern because moisture in classrooms could lead to mold and mildew."
5/18/2010 Stevenson University plans athletic fields, but questions remain on toxic materials at Owings Mills property (The Baltimore Sun) "The land and buildings that housed the state institution for the developmentally disabled contain asbestos, lead, PCBs, concentrations of toxic chemicals from coal ash dumping, and leaking oil tanks."
5/18/2010 Curwensville residents voice concerns at school board meeting (The Progress News) "Hatten presented board members with a copy of a letter from H.F. Lenz of Johnstown, engineer for the district's renovation project, concerning the asbestos found when a boiler in the Curwensville complex was removed."
5/18/2010 Asbestos Removal Begins This Summer in Jackson County Schools (WWBB.com) Jackson County, Florida "Wiggins said the asbestos was found in the ceiling of Building One at Riverside, and Building Five at Marianna Middle."
5/18/2010 Strong Odor Cancels Classes At Lanier HS (KSAT12) San Antonio, Texas "Students were initially evacuated from the main building to three other areas of the high school after a strong smell of a chemical, possibly paint-related, was reported."
5/17/2010 School renovation project more than $1 million over budget (ctpost.com) Shelton, CT "Those challenges have included problems with mold, asbestos and contaminated soil, he said, which have resulted in the cost overages."
5/17/2010 Paint fumes cause high school evacuation (centralny.ynn.com) "OSWEGO, N.Y.Construction crews were spray painting a wall in one of the school's old science buildings when paint fumes got into the building's ventilation system."
5/16/2010 Fumes change work schedule at Roanoke elementary school (roanoke.com) "The construction schedule at a Roanoke elementary school has been altered after school employees complained about the fumes from a bonding adhesive being used in a roof replacement project."
5/16/2010 Asbestos Found at Blue Grass Elementary (The Progress)PA "Wilbur Neeper, clerk of the works for the project, said when the boiler was being removed, asbestos was discovered in one of the walls. Jeff Shaffer, board member, said H.F. Lenz of Johnstown, the project engineer, should have been aware of the possibility of asbestos at that location as similar work done during the 1980s found asbestos."
5/16/2010 Asbestos Removal At School Has Parents Concerned (TMJ4) Milwaukee "But Michael Watton, who says he used to litigate asbestos cases, worries removing the asbestos during the school year, with students studying in nearby classrooms, puts them at risk."
5/15/2010 Virginia must regulate toxic chemicals (PilotOnline.com) "Western Fumigation is next to a school. A high methyl bromide reading was found near Royal Fumigation. . .'Children exposed to the same levels of methyl bromide as adults may receive larger doses because they have greater lung surface area,' reported the agency, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Methyl bromide is colorless and odorless even at hazardous concentrations. The chemical can cause respiratory disease, kidney and liver problems, neurological impairment and affect vision."
5/14/2010 Asbestos Found at Blue Grass Elementary (WKQC6) "School officials say Thursday afternoon a contractor doing renovations to the building accidentally cut a pipe to expose the asbestos."
5/14/2010 Gas leak disrupts Somonauk school day (mywebtimes.com) "Building and Grounds Director John Britt determined the leak was coming from a regulator for one of the heating and cooling units on the roof over the art room and was able to turn off the valve."
5/14/2010 Hamburg police respond to chemical explosion at school, no serious injuries reported (with video) (LivingstonDaily.com) MI "Hamburg Police responded to a report of a chemical explosion shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday at Lakeland Elementary School, 9501 Pettys Drive, in Hamburg Township. Preliminary reports indicate seven injuries at the K-4 school, which is part of the Pinckney Community Schools."
5/13/2010 EPA fines 3 charter school operators (Casa Grande Dispatch) AZ "PHOENIX — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined three Arizona charter school operators for asbestos violations."
5/13/2010 Strong odor of gas at school came from floor buffer machine (WBTV.com) "At one point, firefighters were told by officials with PSNC Energy that the carbon monoxide level was so high in the school, it was potentially explosive. "
5/13/2010 Portsmouth school gets $3.7M to address mold (PilotOnline.com) "Lakeview Elementary School has received $3.7 million in federal stimulus money to address humidity and mold problems that have contributed to asthma in students."
5/13/2010 Cardin school decides to stay on Park Heights Avenue (Baltimore Sun) "Prince said at the time that a report conducted for the Cardin school showed the 11 buildings contain asbestos and the ground was contaminated with PCBs and possibly other hazardous materials, but she declined to release the report."
5/13/2010 Mold cleanup expected to be complete by late June (StarNewsOnline) "The school closed March 18 after the kindergarten classes had already been moved to Castle Hayne Elementary when mold was found in their buildings in late February...In Dombroski’s January email to school board member Janice Cavenaugh, she described the smell in one of the school’s rooms as 'like an old mildewed mop.'"
5/11/2010 Chemical odor prompts school evacuation (Express News) TX " four adults and two students became ill after inhaling the chemical's fumes, said district spokeswoman Deb Caldwell... The smell originated from a faulty chemical pump containing bleach, which is used in the school's air conditioning system, Caldwell said."
5/11/2010 Smell of gas empties Plantsville School again (myrecordjournal.com) "Erardi said the issue appears to stem from two faulty air handler units that are part of the rooftop ventilation system."
5/11/2010 State Probes Hazardous Waste Near School (wbztv.com) "There are serious and troubling questions concerning a hazardous waste facility in a busy suburban neighborhood... The facility sits just a few yards from a school full of children, and the town says that the school faces significant risk."
5/9/2010 Mold and sick teachers at Shenandoah Elementary (Miami NewTimes) "It turns out the teachers had checked into emergency rooms. Some couldn't breathe. Several had pulsing headaches. Spontaneous nosebleeds plagued one woman. The reason, according to three teachers interviewed by Riptide: Mold. Lots of it."
5/5/2010 Environmental Protection Agency ripped over foot-dragging on PCB tests at schools (NYDailyNews.com) "Parents, scientists and officials blasted the federal Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday at a hearing on whether to relax safety standards for toxins in public schools."

April 2010

4/29/2010 New Richmond High School to close for renovations (Cincinnati.com) "New Richmond High School will be closed to students and staff starting Tuesday, June 1, when the top two floors of the school will be renovated to remove asbestos and to install new ceilings, lighting and flooring."
4/25/2010 Asbestos removal not risk to pupils (The Augusta Chronicle) Georgia "That's just a standard part of construction," said School Facilities Director Benton Starks, noting that there's no federal law requiring asbestos removal, but federal guidelines ensure the material doesn't go airborne if removed."
4/24/2010 All Calexico Schools remain closed (KXOradio.com) CA "According to the release , district staff continues to repair classrooms. The district is also addressing the abatement of hazardous materials on the campuses of Calexico High School, Jefferson Elementary School and DeAnza Junior High School where asbestos was detected."
4/19/2010 New schools chosen for students of closed Seattle school (NNCN.com) "SEATTLE – Seattle Public Schools announced Monday where students will be moved after South Shore K-8 was closed indefinitely because kids and teachers were getting sick."
4/16/2010 Officials still baffled by mystery smell at school (KOMONews.com) "TACOMA, Wash. - Officials are still mystified as they try to trace the cause of a sickening smell at a local elementary school that sent 11 kids to the hospital on Thursday."
4/16/2010 Exhaust system moved to solve Weisenberg Elementary odor problem (The Morning Call) " The district's engineers determined the odor occurred when the boiler exhaust blew back into the building on windy days through the ventilation system."
4/16/2010 Gas smell evacuates Wethersfield school (WTNH.com) "Wethersfield, Connecticut (WTNH) - A leaky valve was to blame for a smell of gas that forced the evacuation of Webb Elementary School in Wethersfield Friday."
4/16/2010 CSCC under investigation after fumes leak (Marshall County Tribune) "There's something of a standoff between Lewisburg and Columbia State Community College because carbon monoxide fumes sent at least 16 people to hospitals last week and suspended classes two days"
4/15/2010 Wash. school evacuated twice by sickening smell (AP) "TACOMA, Wash. — An elementary school in Washington state was evacuated twice Thursday because of a sickening smell that sent 11 students to the hospital and forced educators to cancel Friday's classes."
4/15/2010 Mahopac Middle School closed while classroom mold removed (LoHud.com) "The mold was first identified in the science wing by a custodian Friday, who found it in pipe insulation and in wallboard between classrooms, Superintendent Thomas J. Manko said Wednesday. While acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Manko said he would not connect it to earlier reports of some middle school staff and students being sickened."
4/13/2010 Wing of new Seattle school is closed over strong odor; kids show symptoms (The Seattle Times) "Seattle Public Schools will close a second-floor wing at its brand-new South Shore School until it can figure out why some students and staff members are experiencing itchy eyes, rashes and other problems."
4/13/2010 Walden art room to benefit from April 16 fundraiser (The JournalTimes.com) Wisconsin "RACINE — Leadership Racine is hosting a Wine Tasting fundraiser to raise money to reopen an art room as a computer lab at Walden III Middle and High School...The art room has been closed because of asbestos in the floor.
4/13/2010 Niwot H.S. closed today after workers find asbestos (KWGN Denver) CO "Students and staff members at the high school were sent home early Monday afternoon after the cancer-causing fibers were discovered. Crews tested the air quality through the evening, and those results later showed particles in the air . "
4/7/2010 Newark students barred from entering school after toxic chemicals were found in air, water (NewJersey.com) "All 855 students from pre-K through 8th grade school were redirected to East Side High School on Tuesday when an environmental testing company reported that water and air samples taken from the school showed levels of petroleum and benzene far in excess of state environmental standards."
4/7/2010 Mesa school bus rear-ended by truck loaded with pool chemicals (Phoenix10.com) "A pickup apparently didn't notice the bus was stopped and rear-ended it, causing it to rear-end another pickup in front of it, Dunn said. There was some concern about the pickup that struck the bus because it was carrying pool chemicals, Dunn said. However, no chemicals were released.""http://phoenix10.cityspur.com/2010/04/07/mesa-school-bus-rear-ended-by-truck-loaded-with-pool-chemicals/"
4/6/2010 Students Return To Windsor Locks School After Evacuation (ctnow.com)CT "The school was evacuated shortly before 9 a.m. when students and staff started to smell propane. Firefighters found the odor coming from a propane tank outside the school at a loading dock that got into the school through the air handler system."
4/5/2010 Foul odor shuts down costly new addition at Coral Springs school(Sun Sentinel) "For the past four months, a mysterious stench has kept students and teachers from using a new, $2.4 million, eight-room addition at Parkside Elementary School in Coral Springs."
4/4/2010 Parents to have their say on mold that closed Wrightsboro Elementary School (StarNewsonline.com) “What about the other side of this issue – the children being sick because of the mold,” he said. “My son has had nothing but respiratory and ear problems since starting school at Wrightsboro. He has to take medication daily because of these problems. We couldn’t figure out why he was so sick all the time. Well, I guess we finally got our answer.”
4/4/2010 Bloomingdale BOE unanimously backs budget (New Jersey.com) "On the table in the coming year are projects including asbestos floor tile removal at the Martha B. Day School and air conditioners and window modifications to be installed in three classrooms at Walter T. Bergen School."
4/3/2010 Fire crew investigate hazardous material found near school (Maidenhead Advertiser) UK ""Some of the labels didn't add up to the colour of the fluid inside, which was reddy brown. They were motor industry related, one of them was wheel cleaner. "The hazardous materials officer was called out and found it to be red diesel."
4/2/2010 How Exposure In Schools Can Lead To Malignant Mesothelioma (ArticleMarks) "The teachers and students at these schools had no idea at the time that even very limited exposure to asbestos could cause malignant mesothelioma. They walked past the piles of dust created by workmen installing and repairing asbestos materials without thinking twice. They had no idea that these piles of dust would later set them on a long and painful path to mesothelioma treatment."
4/1/2010 Hamden residents urge full schools budget (New Haven Register) " There are at least 50 leaks throughout the school from the roof, foundation and skylights, and the gaps have caused bug problems, DelVecchio said. Leaks lead to odors and mold, things children shouldn’t be subjected to, he added."
4/1/2010 Lake Oswego High School does damage control (Lake Oswego Review) "Construction crews will take over Lake Oswego High School this summer for extensive repair work related to water intrusion into the five-year-old building. Damage includes improper installation of windows, tiles, parapets, cornices and weep-holes, which in some cases has led to mold."

March 2010

3/31/2010 Odor from lights causes Bakerville school evacuation (The Register Citizen) "Later in the afternoon, the electricians believed they had isolated the smell to a series of rope lights. In the course of investigating, the electricians removed the lights. 'We believe the lights were the source of the smell,' O’Reilly said. 'These decorative lights were strung around a cupola.'"
3/31/2010 School board pressing lawsuit (the Advertiser) LA "Water intrusion problems at N.P. Moss caused the school to shutter its doors and displace 500 students for eight months in late 2007 and 2008. . . The School Board has blamed the mold and water leakage on what it calls inadequate workmanship and design.
3/30/2010 Killing Baltimore's pests in a less toxic way (The Baltimore Sun) The Baltimore City Health Department aims to offer residents some relief -- in a less hazardous way. The department received a $250,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund less-toxic pest control strategies for city homes, schools and businesses."
3/30/2010 Beardstown: Mold problem triggers improvements at Gard Elementary (Journal Courier) IL "After a 20-year mold problem, Gard Elementary School in Beardstown is looking for an upgrade. The mold problem stems from improperly wrapped insulation around pipes causing condensation build-up, said School Board President Randy Robeson. Condensation build-up in dark places leads to mold."
3/29/2010 Scotts Valley High School field a drainage nightmare (MercuryNews.com) "The field's problems stem from poor construction that led to the largest school building defect lawsuit in county history - $30 million. Problems included mold, bad ventilation and noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act."
3/29/2010 Cairns students fall ill from fumes (ABCNews) "The year seven students were taking part in a lesson in their science classroom at Redlynch College when they began suffering from breathing difficulties and skin irritations. 21 children were taken to Cairns Base Hospital.
3/27/2010 NHC School leaders to meet with Wrightsboro parents (WECTNews) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Leaders of the New Hanover County Schools system and allergy specialists will meet with parents . . . . Students have been out of school for the past six days after mold spores were found in more classrooms at the school.
3/26/2010 Brockton school cleared for students to return after evacuation (Enterprise News) "An inspection by the Brockton Fire Department traced the gas to the school’s boiler room, where workmen were changing a pipe earlier in the day. . . The smell, which is inevitable any time a pipe is changed, was likely blown into the corridor through vents, said Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Murphy. . . Malone praised the response of teachers who pulled the fire alarm and the fire fighters who inspected the building. “We have good people at every level,” he said.
3/25/2010 Schools Chosen for PCB Study (New York Times) "The study, announced in January, is the result of an agreement between the city and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to address potential violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act related to PCBs in caulk. The city had found unsafe concentrations of PCBs — above the allowable level of 50 parts per million – during construction and renovation projects."
3/25/2010 East Bridgewater High School tour highlights building deficiencies (Enterprise News) " EAST BRIDGEWATER —Floor-to-ceiling cracks. Water damage. Tiles that need replacement or have asbestos under them. Rotted window sills. Antiquated plumbing. Maxed-out power lines. Principal Paul Vieira led a tour through the high school Wednesday morning, highlighting these and other building deficiencies that could help make the case for a new or renovated school."
3/24/2010 Dozens of students quarantined after mercury spill at Idaho school (NNCN.com) "SHOSHONE -- Dozens of students at the Shoshone School have been quarantined after a mercury spill was discovered at the school today."
3/24/2010 New Bedford sues nine companies to help pay for Parker Street cleanup (SouthCoastToday.com) "The Parker Street Waste Site is located on about 104 acres that encompass the city's high school, Keith Middle School, Walsh Field and the new McCoy Field, as well as private residences and businesses. the area once was used as an open and unrestricted dumping ground where materials such as electrical capacitors known to contain PCBs were disposed of."
3/24/2010 A rotting annex: Rats, putrid odors impact a Center City neighborhood and school (Philly.com) "Leaders of the Freire Charter School, which occupies the first three floors of the seven-story former YWCA's main building, have repeatedly begged the RDA to clean up the annex. Worried about the health and safety of their 500 high school students, administrators have spent tens of thousands of dollars to protect the school from rats, water and mold that have crept in from next door."
3/23/2010 Richwoods tests for asbestos in six rooms (Star Journal) "PEORIA —Classes in six rooms at Richwoods High School are being relocated temporarily this week until tests determine whether dust and powder material contain asbestos.
3/22/2010 Star Spencer High School evacuated for natural gas odor(NewOK) Oklahoma "Officials said students, teachers and staff members were evacuated from the school after the odor was detected about 9 a.m. Monday."
3/22/2010 Schools playing it safe with mold (StarNewsOnline) "The old Topsail High School was full of it a few years ago, and Pender school administrators were criticized for failing to respond to early reports of bad smells and icky green-black stuff growing on walls, bookshelves, ceilings and doors."
3/20/2010 Pesticide shields sought for schools (RecordNet.com) "Environmental activists examining pesticide regulations in California's 25 top agricultural counties charge in many cases the rules do more to protect crops than schoolchildren and that 11 counties - including San Joaquin - have no protection zones around schools at all."
3/19/2010 Denver Water retirees say their illnesses may be linked to toxic work years ago (Fox31 KDVR.com) "DENVER (AP) — A dozen retired Denver Water workers say they were told to bury hazardous waste near dozens of homes and schools 20 years ago, and that they have illnesses that they say may be connected to asbestos exposure."
3/19/2010 Pesticide limits near schools may grow (VCStar.com) "SACRAMENTO — It’s been eight years since a coalition from Ventura County that included farmers, environmentalists and concerned parents successfully sponsored a new law that they said would protect schoolchildren and prevent a recurrence of a 1996 incident at a Ventura school in which nearly two dozen people were sickened when pesticide sprayed onto an adjacent field drifted onto the school grounds."
3/19/2010 Air quality poor in now-shuttered Lake Zurich school (Daily Herald Report) "District 95 parents were upset Thursday over a air quality report done last August at May Whitney School that was never released by the school district - a report that even the superintendent said he didn't see until recently."
3/19/2010 Trustee ignored public input (IdahoMountainExpress) "At last week's meeting of the Blaine County School Board, absent Trustee Dan Parke—in what I consider a patently unethical move—phoned in his vote in favor of installing an expensive, completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous fuel storage tank on our Wood River High School campus."
3/19/2010 School custodian hurt in explosion (PhillyBurbs.com) "There were several hundred students in the cafeteria at the time of the explosion, which occurred at 12:30 p.m., during the second-period lunch."
3/19/2010 NC elementary school closed because of mold; students moved to another facility (MyFox8.com) "WRIGHTSBORO, N.C. (AP) — An elementary school in coastal North Carolina has been closed because of mold, and students are being moved to another school for the rest of the year."
3/19/2010 New London school disaster passes 73rd anniversary (The Daily Tribune) Texas "So many with a direct connection to the London, Texas, school explosion of 73 years ago are gone now, no longer here to mourn the 282 students and 14 adults lost in oil-rich east Texas that March."
3/18/2010 Wrightsboro Elementary closed for rest of year due to mold (Star news Online) "Mold spores were found in air samples above the ceilings in several of Wrightsboro's newer buildings, built in 2000, said Bill Hance, assistant superintendent for planning, technology and operations."
3/18/2010 Washington School play surface to be changed out (NewJersey.com) "n March last year, the $58,000 Lincoln School playground was decimated within a matter of minutes by a ferocious blaze local police said was an act of arson by an 11-year-old borough resident who had accumulated a pile of leaves at the playground, lit them with a lighter and fled. Rutherford fire officials in the wake of its investigation indicated that no accelerant was used, but didn’t rule out that a contributor to the fire was the rubberized play surface."
3/18/2010 Central renovations on time, under budget (NapervilleSun)"On any given day there are generally 25 to 50 workers on site as work on the south addition at Central continues...The main complaints about construction are about different smells, McFadden said. Anytime a teacher or student reports an odor, it is investigated." ???
3/18/2010 Berlin's McGee Middle School Passes Air-Quality Test; Classes Expected To Resume (Courant.com) "John Richards, a former member of the school board, faulted officials for not properly disseminating information about what chemicals were involved and what symptoms people who were exposed to them might have. Air quality has been an ongoing problem at McGee, and several parents complained that the town had let the problem persist."
3/18/2010 Oak Ridge Elementary Not Safe For Everyone (RhinoTimes) "Oak Ridge had serious mold problems, the symptoms reported there were real, and even though the problems at the school have been corrected, the employees and students worst affected may not be able to work or study in the school without a recurrence of symptoms."
3/17/2010 New York City a toxic playground (MetroInternational) "There are scores of bygone manufactured gas plant sites — with possibly carcinogenic remnants from coal tar — across the city, including one in East Harlem where two schools now sit."
3/17/2010 Voters in Bamberg School District One Approve Tax Hike to Pay for New Elementary School and Renovations to Middle and High Schools (wltx.com) "The existing Richard Carroll Elementary School has foundation problems as well as mold and mildew. The district's middle and high schools will likely get new roofs and heating and air conditioning systems."
3/17/2010 Some local schools topping list in national study about toxic schools (WHAS11.com) "Here in Louisville, USA Today shows eight schools were ranked as some of the worst in the nation, with chemicals like chloroprene, aluminum, and sulfuric acid."
3/17/2010 GAO report scolds EPA (USAToday) "During the past decade, the Environmental Protection Agency's commitment to keeping children safe from toxic chemicals has lapsed, and top officials routinely ignored scores of recommendations by the agency's own children's health advisory committee, according to a report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office."
3/14/2010 Bamberg school vote is Tuesday (Times Democrat) "BSD 1 Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting said ...'Parts of Richard Carroll Elementary were built in 1937, and we have problems with the foundation beginning to crack and sink,” Schwarting said. “We’ve had to replace the floor tiles where they have just buckled up. … We have mold and mildew problems.'”
3/13/2010 Another step for energy program at CVUSD (The Bugle) "Support Services Director Stacey Barker updated the board on the mold remediation work, which is nearly complete at the middle and high schools"
3/13/2010 What's for lunch: At some cafeterias, cleanliness is an issue (PostStar.com) "A dead mouse was found on food crates in South Glens Falls. A Warrensburg cafeteria worker helped herself to soup directly from the ladle. In Bolton, raw hamburger meat was found stored next to ready-to-eat items."
3/11/2010 McGee School evacuated due to foul odor (New Britain Herald) CT "BERLIN — Students at Catherine McGee Middle School were dismissed Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. after a foul odor permeated the school. Fire officials believed the odor emanated from roof tar. A ventilator had sucked in vapors from the tar. Twenty minutes after the school went to Code Yellow — lockdown — students and teachers were evacuated. . .Dawn Stepensky, mother of an eighth-grade student, said one teacher fainted and was transported to the hospital."
3/12/2010 Gas Leak Repaired At Springdale High School (4029tv.com) "SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Police in Springdale said a gas leak Friday at Springdale High School led officials to evacuate the entire sophomore section of the school as a precaution."
3/11/2010 Otisfield school tested after moisture problem (Sun Journal) "OTISFIELD – Air quality remains good at the Otisfield Community School, but officials are now attempting to find out how moisture is getting into Sheetrock in the school.Moisture was found in the school walls while testing to determine whether there was a mold problem."
3/11/2010 Airborne spores, dust at Peoria school upset parents (AZCentral.com) "Desert Harbor Elementary School parents were fuming after Peoria Unified School District administrators announced at a Monday night meeting that their children's school has high amounts of airborne spores and dust. On Friday the district had closed off a corridor linking two large hallways. It's adjacent to restrooms and staff offices. The restrictions came after recent air-quality tests showed high amounts of spores and dust in the air, district officials said"
3/11/2010 Colo. public schools need $18 billion in construction and maintenance, report finds (Denver Post) "What this demonstrates is that the health and safety risks for kids in Colorado schools are even higher than we originally thought," she said in a news release. . . "These are aging schools with mold, leaky roofs and crumbling foundations," Kennedy said. "The resources we have already placed will begin to address these needs, but they are only a start."
3/9/2010 Moms: Elementary school unsafe (The Daily News Item) "Lettie Siska, one of the mothers, expressed her gratitude to the board for taking steps to address the problems of mold and a leaking roof at the elementary school and to move forward with plans for a new building. “I don’t want my children to sit in classrooms with buckets over their heads anymore,” she said. Jenn Arbogast, who also has children in the school, called the conditions at the elementary building “deplorable.”
3/9/2010 Former New Jersey school business administrator gets 7 years for contract rigging (NewJerseyNews) "The investigation revealed that Steele, whose annual salary was $120,000, would purchase maintenance supplies for the district – including cleaning chemicals, asphalt repair compounds and salt for melting snow – from Hardy’s maintenance supplies company, WH Chemical Group in Margate, Florida, and the company would pay Steele a “bonus” of between $5,000 and $20,000 per order. WH Chemical Group received approximately $900,000 in district contracts."
3/8/2010 Keokuk school's air quality closer to being measured (The Hawkeye.com) "The Keokuk Catholic School, formerly the Cardinal Stritch Junior, Senior High School, was identified as potentially being among the top 1 percent of schools in the nation to have the worst air...Eating a small amount of manganese every day is important to staying healthy, but breathing high levels for long periods may have undesirable effects on brain development, including changes in behavior and decreases in the ability to learn and remember."
3/8/2010 Mold Found In Valley School (KPHO.com) "PEORIA, Ariz. -- There's mold growing in a Valley elementary school, and Monday night parents finally got to find out just how bad a problem it is. CBS 5 found a letter that was sent home to parents on Friday, letting them know about a meeting Monday to talk about air quality in the school. CBS 5 also found out it's a problem that was first spotted five months ago, a problem the district has just now started to fix."
3/8/2010 Pilot Point High reopens (DentonRC.com) "Classes resumed at Pilot Point High School on Monday after a recent gas leak that forced school administrators to evacuate the campus Thursday and close school Friday."
3/8/2010 Gas leak forces evacuation of Swampscott's Stanley School (ItemLive.com) "'There was an odor of gas in the school,” Bingham said. “Students and staff were evacuated to a field near the school.'”
3/8/2010 Eagleville students evacuated (The Murfreesboro Post) "Eagleville School students were evacuated after a gas smell in the cafeteria Monday morning, the county schools’ spokesman said."
3/7/2010 Portage school district grapples with next move as construction triggers health complaints (Mlive.com) "At least five teachers and seven students at Northern say they have, or have had, illnesses they believe are related to air-borne toxins caused by the renovation."
3/5/2010 Student Sprays School Walls With Pesticide (KPHO) Arizona "LAKE HAVASU, Ariz. -- Lake Havasu High School remained closed Friday after a student sprayed a pesticide on school walls and placed drops of the chemical in at least one trash can Wednesday."
3/5/2010 Students checked for mercury exposure after thermometer breaks at Ojai school (Ventura County Star) "A hazardous materials team checked nearly 50 students for mercury exposure at a private school in Ojai this morning after a broken thermometer spilled about a teaspoon of the toxic element on the ground, authorities said."
3/5/2010 Salerno acknowledges multiple classroom hazards at Pearson School (TheRegisterCitizen) "A lift of area rugs in a classroom at the school reveals cracked and decaying tile, which some fear is freeing into the air asbestos contained in the glue that holds the tiles together. In the same windowless room, students and teachers endure temperatures over 77 degrees as heat systems fail to respond properly to thermostat controls."
3/4/2010 Schools on Beaufort Marine base to be checked (AP) "MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — The Department of Defense is looking into health concerns raised last month by staff and faculty at two schools at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort."
3/4/2010 Boise Fire crews keep Borah High classroom closed for one more day as a precaution after mercury spill (IdahoStatesman.com) "Boise Fire crews cleaned up a small mercury spill in a classroom in the old gym at Borah High Wednesday but found Thursday morning that one floor tile still had a small amount of the chemical on it so they decided to close the classroom for an additional day just to be safe."
3/4/2010 West Contra Costa will vote on $380 million bond measure to rebuild schools (San Jose Mercury News) "The projects address a variety of problems, from leaky roofs and deteriorating plumbing to removal of hazardous materials to upgrading science and computer labs and making schools more energy-efficient."
3/1/2010 Franken, others express concern about dismal conditions in struggling Indian schools (MinnPost.com) "No student in Minnesota should have to contend with mold problems or huge leaks, but that's what kids in some reservation schools deal with every day," said Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "Students can't be expected to achieve at high levels when their school building is falling apart."

February 2010

2/28/2010 'Pesticide Drift' Eluding Efforts To Combat It (NPR) "Nancy Lara, 10, and her brother Brian, 8, were drenched by pesticides last spring as they stood at their bus stop, a patch of dirt on the edge of a vineyard in central California."
2/27/2010 Asbestos removed at Southern High (The TimesNews.com) "Asbestos was found when the carpet was pulled up, which meant the area was shut off to students and others temporarily."
2/26/2010 Mold report issued for Dozier Elementary (WSFA12.com) "MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - An emergency meeting of the Montgomery School Board was held on Friday to talk about mold in an elementary school."
2/26/2010 Fmr asst principal sues Knox schools, chemical co. over illness after carpet replacement (WBIR.com) "The suit says students and faculty also exhibited signs of exposure to fumes, including various cold-like symptoms."
2/26/2010 Indiana high school closed after fumes sicken students (Chicago Tribune) "Forty-seven students from a Cedar Lake, Ind., high school were taken to hospitals today after being sickened by natural gas fumes that leaked from a stove in a home economics classroom, fire officials said."
2/26/2010 Civil rights complaint filed over school mold (DailyAdvance.com)NC "HERTFORD — A Hertford woman who claims the presence of mold in the Perquimans County Schools severely affected her allergic 13-year-old son, has removed the boy from school and filed a federal discrimination complaint against the school district."
2/25/2010 Leaking well near Allard Elementary to be capped (timesonline.com) "MOON TWP. — A contractor hired by the state Department of Environmental Protection has begun work to cap an abandoned gas well that’s leaking natural gas about 1,000 feet from Moon Area School District’s J.A. Allard Elementary School."
2/25/2010 Dozier Elementary to relocate students during mold cleanup (Montgomery Advertiser) "'Six months was allowed to pass by before a single parent was notified," Clark told board members, almost in tears. "If we're going to hide behind there's no remediation guidelines ... (the mold) is serious enough for a teacher to be out, but not for children to be out.'"
2/24/2010 Time to Protect Kids From Toxic Pesticide Drift (EarthJustice) "EPA added up the exposures to children from a pesticide in food, drinking water, homes, and yards. Unfortunately, it failed to include what is often the biggest exposure for rural kids, kids living near fields or orchards, and farmworkers—pesticides moving through the air to envelop and permeate the homes, schools, parks, and playgrounds. This route of exposure, known as pesticide drift, occurs following pesticide application."
2/24/2010 Montgomery County BOE approves recommendation to spend $1.8 million to correct mold issues at Dozier Elementary (Montgomery Advertiser) "At the news conference, Thompson said the school district was not late in notifying parents about the issue. Rather, she said it has not been the district's practice to notify parents in similar instances." Italics mine.
2/24/2010 Gas leak that forced evacuation of elementary school now repaired (Oakland Press) "A gas leak at Eagle Elementary in the Farmington School District caused the school to evacuate earlier this morning, but the leak is now fixed."
2/24/2010 Task force to examine air quality concerns at Portage Northern High School (MLive.com) "Portage Northern parent Kim Harris said, however, that her daughter has had three blood tests since Feb. 12 that have shown elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin, which suggests exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide."
2/24/2010 Carter schools may get $5 million for improvements (Knoxnews.com) "At Halls High School, a school also slated for lab upgrades, leaking drain basins over Christmas caused more than $1,000 in damage to English textbooks one floor below, Principal Mark Duff said. Mold has also been a problem, he said."
2/24/2010 Contractor hired to fix water-leak damage in Swanton school (ToledoBlade.com) "Mrs. Baz said there have been no further health complaints about the building since the one Dawn Neal filed last year on behalf of her daughter, Zoe, who developed recurring respiratory problems while attending the school."
2/23/2010 Louisville elementary school evacuated over fumes (WHAS11.com) NewsVideo "All 460 students had to evacuate the building after a construction mishap spread fumes and fear through the hallways."
2/23/2010 JCPS school evacuated because of gas fumes (WAVE3) "LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – There was some scary moments for students, staff, and parents at Field Elementary School on Tuesday. The school was evacuated after gas fumes spread into the building and students reported feeling sick. "
2/23/2010 Fishing Creek Elementary School closed due to mercury found in classroom (Pennlive.com) "Fishing Creek Elementary School is closed today after a nighttime maintenance crew found a trace amount of mercury in a faulty classroom heater in Room 18 Monday."
2/23/2010 Field Elementary evacuated after tool exhaust fumes make dozens of kids sick (Courier-Journal.com) "By noon, 13 children and one teacher had been transported to area hospitals and about 30 others were being checked at the school, said Jackey and Dr. Neal Richmond, chief executive officer of Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Service."
2/22/2010 Parents upset they were not told of Dozier mold sooner; officials say school cleaned, air tested (Montgomery Advertiser) "Ree Clark is one of several parents whose children attend Dozier Elementary School who want to know why they were not told for several months that there were what they consider high levels of mold in classrooms."
2/22/2010 Students temporarily change schools due to mold (News14 Carolina) "Officials at the school are relocating all kindergarten students to Castle Hayne Elementary for up to two months, and some first grade students are moving to another campus building while an environmental company fixes the mold problem."
2/21/2010 Mold found in Montgomery School (WSFA12) ALABAMA "School Board President Beverly Ross says the problem at Dozier Elementary first came to light in July, 2009. She tells WSFA 12 News months passed before the board and superintendent learned of the problem. "
2/21/2010 New Orleans is recovering, and offering lessons for Haiti (Palm Beach Post News) "After Katrina, the state Legislature turned over nearly all school operations and new construction projects to the New Orleans Recovery School District."
2/19/2010 Parent says 'nobody took us seriously' regarding mold at school (WECT6) "The New Hanover County School system announced Thursday that test results show elevated levels of cladosporium and penicillium aspergillus in six classrooms. "
2/18/2010 More than 20 NH students, teachers show CO exposure (FireRescue1) "Most of the affected people were students and were on the third floor of the building, Haggart said. They reported feeling faint and experiencing headaches and nausea and were blood-tested for exposure to carbon monoxide, an odorless and colorless gas created when gasoline, oil, wood or propane is burned."
2/18/2010 Puerto Rico high schoolers fall ill in classroom (AP) "SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — At least 30 high school students and seven teachers became sick Wednesday after reporting a foul odor that authorities were trying to identify. Officials canceled classes for the day.Eight students were hospitalized, according to Exel Lopez, spokesman for the Commission of Public Services, who said he had no further details."
2/18/2010 Something Stinks in West Berkeley (The Daily Planet) "Neighbors have legitimate concerns as last year it was revealed that of the entire nation’s ten most toxic schools three are in West Berkeley. The State of California has identified the four districts stretching from Oakland through Berkeley into Richmond as being the highest in child asthma."
2/18/2010 Mold in classrooms will shut down part of Wrightsboro Elementary (StarNews.online) "Mold tests were conducted because multiple teachers complained of feeling ill, Quattlebaum said. Twelve classrooms were tested by Phoenix Enviro Corp. of Wilmington, with six testing positive for mold."
2/18/2010 Mold forces changes at New Hanover County school (WWAYtv.com) "School administrators say about a month ago they started receiving complaints about mold, ranging from odor to sore throats. Mold was found in two different buildings, which house kindergarten and first grade classes."
2/17/2010 New Hampshire: Fumes Cause School Evacuation(NewYorkTimes) Utube "St. Thomas Aquinas School in Derry was evacuated Wednesday after a student and teacher collapsed, and more than 20 other people showed symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Fire officials say they were able to isolate the problem, and all those who were stricken were treated at Parkland Medical Center and were expected to recover."
2/17/2010 Odor in suburban high school sends three students to hospital (Chicago Breaking News Center) "Three students from Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette were treated in area hospitals today after a "noxious" odor required a hazardous materials response from firefighters, Wilmette Fire Department officials said."
2/17/2010 Ameren investigating gas odor at Williamsville High (State Journal Register) "Someone reported smelling an odor of gas. As a precaution, high school students were evacuated to the middle school temporarily, according to authorities."
2/16/2010 Air-quality concerns force closure of new classrooms at Portage Northern High School (MLive.com) "Yet five Portage Northern teachers have sought medical treatment for ailments they attribute to air quality in the school’s new science wing, Vance said."
2/16/2010 Zephyr Cove schools to be tested for radon (Tahoe Daily Tribune) "Three classrooms and a custodial office in Zephyr Cove Elementary School will be retested for radon in the next two weeks after December test results showed elevated levels in these areas."
2/16/2010 Settlement reached in mold case (JacksonSun.com) "During the ongoing litigation, claims were made by the plantiffs' attorneys that the school board knew of mold issues at Westview as early as 1998."
2/15/2010 Students back in school after gas odor evacuation(NECN) "CUMBERLAND, R.I. (AP) - Children were evacuated from a Rhode Island elementary school for about an hour and a half after teachers and staff noticed the smell of gas." An hour and a half before they were evacuated?
2/14/2010 Oak Ridge Elementary To Reopen After Mold, Air Quality Concerns (WXII12.com) ""There were definitely kids that were sick and my son has asthma, so I was nervous for him to go," said parent Kellie Misenheimer. "I'm glad that they closed."Last May, mold was found growing in the carpet of one Oak Ridge classroom."
2/12/2010 Chemicals found beneath Ridgewood school parking lot (NewJersey.com) "t found polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and a pesticide above standards for remediation set by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Fishbein wrote. The former compound forms when coal, oil, gas and other substances burn incompletely, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
2/12/2010 Flood repairs continue at El Morro Elementary (Orange County Register) "Contractors removed a small amount of mold, Shelton said, and the school is now waiting for more test results to make sure the classrooms meet safety standards."
2/12/2010 Asbestos concerns at school (Daily Mercury)“I have no idea why they did (used a domestic vacuum cleaner) as it is a stupid thing to do,” Mr Schwarten said. Mr Maskell-Drew said allowing contaminated paint flecks to disperse on the lawn area was a continued hazard for students and pupils. '
2/12/2010 School budget recommendations still up in the air (aushuatelegraph.com) "The classrooms on the lower level were closed for about half the school year after officials found mold just before the start of the school year."
2/11/2010 Chapel Hill School Will Get Independent Mold Inspection (MyNC.com) "Officials with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have agreed to call in an outside expert to take a look at one of its elementary schools that had a problem with mold in one of its classrooms. But some parents are still not satisfied and a handful of them made their displeasure known at the monthly school improvement meeting at Ephesus Road Elementary."
2/11/2010 Odor forces students to evacuate(The Daily News) "NEWBURY — Fire officials as of late yesterday have been unable to determine the cause of an odor that caused the evacuation of Newbury Elementary School for about 30 minutes in the morning.
2/11/2010 Do PCBs at local schools pose a health risk? (The Riverdale Press) "When parents learned that PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were found in their children’s schools their reaction was restrained — no press conferences called, no demands for investigations or follow-up tests — but scientists interviewed by The Press expressed more cautionary views about the dangers posed by the toxic chemicals."
2/10/2010 Air quality issues in Portage school (WWMT.com) "Complaints started back in November about fumes coming from construction on the new science wing at Portage Northern High School. It got so bad that one teacher went to the hospital and others were treated by doctors."
2/10/2010 Incinerator fight moves to Annapolis (istockanalyst.com) "Feb. 10--ANNAPOLIS -- County officials and industry leaders are objecting to a bill that would prevent construction of incinerators near parks, residences, churches and schools. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Alex Mooney, is intended to stop the building of a waste-to-energy incinerator on land owned by Frederick County, across the Monocacy River from the Monocacy National Battlefield."
2/10/2010 Federal officials in Kennebunk to study mold issues at middle school (Seacoastline.com) "he $16 million building, which opened in 2002, has been plagued with problems from the start. The building's windows and flashing were improperly installed and the roof was allegedly sabotaged by a subcontractor, allowing water to leak into the building."
2/9/2010 Kids who go to schools near busy roads could suffer from exhaust fumes (Desert News) "Researchers at the University of Utah say children from low-income families in Salt Lake County are at higher risk of being exposed to potentially dangerous auto exhaust because they often attend schools located close to major traffic arteries."
2/9/2010 New Richmond High shuts down music room (Cincinnati.com) "The vocal music room at New Richmond High School won't be used again until a solution is found to avoid the kind of breathing problems suffered Monday by some students, district superintendent Tom Durbin said this morning."
2/8/2010 Students Overcome At New Richmond High School (WKRC) "Officials say 12 students reported feeling overcome by shortness of breath and dizziness. The reports centered around the school's choir room."
2/8/2010 Fumes Reported at High School (WQRT) "12 students reported feeling sick, and five of those students were to taken to the hospital to be checked out. The cause of the reported illness is believed to be carbon monoxide "
2/7/2010 Power Plant Task Force working on further restrictive legislation (EnterprizeNews.com) "Lorray added that six schools, four day care centers, hundreds of residential dwellings, low-income housing, trailer parks, elderly housing and the May Institute for brain-damaged patients lie within a third of a mile from the proposed power plant — with all occupants having to breathe particulate matter and other toxic chemicals still untested by the Environmental Protection Agency."
2/7/2010 Air monitors installed at Moore Elementary School (Tennessean.com) "FRANKLIN — Residents' fears of airborne chemicals from Franklin's Superior Essex plant have spurred the state to monitor the air at Moore Elementary School."
2/6/20101 Fired school district official wins legal battle but doesn't get apology (SunSentinel) "Her saga began more than a decade ago when, as a senior supervisor of building inspectors, she began complaining that new schools were opened despite "life safety" code violations. That contractors were allowed to walk away without fixing problems. And that leaky school roofs were being repaired improperly, leading to mold and mildew."
2/6/2010 Sick students, slow response prompts review after gas leak at Northeast Elementary (Daily Times) Farmington New Mexico "The elementary school's administration failed to appropriately contact Farmington Municipal Schools Plant Operations after gas odors were reported Jan. 25, district officials said. No one was reprimanded."FARMINGTON — School officials are reviewing safety procedures and parents are questioning communication policy after gas odors in a Northeast Elementary School fifth-grade classroom sent at least a dozen students to the nurse and a teacher to urgent care.
2/6/2010 High-school student turns on master gas line in lab, is suspended( Eagle Tribune Online) "HAVERHILL — A 15-year-old boy has been suspended from Haverhill High School after he turned on a master gas line in a science laboratory, according to Superintendent Raleigh Buchanan."Windows at public schools in Riverdale and Kingsbridge not only let in the fresh air, but have also been the source of toxic chemicals."
2/5/2010 DA: Police bust meth lab near elementary school (The reporter) "Police said they immediately detected an overwhelming chemical odor consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine."
2/5/2010 Three classrooms evacuated at Mahopac Middle School after fume complaints (LoHud.com) "MAHOPAC — Three middle school classes were moved to other rooms this morning after complaints of a burning wood odor in the air, a top official said. . .One teacher who said she felt dizzy was feeling better and planned to see her physician later today, the superintendent said."
2/4/2010 Council talks use for Prescott Street(NewJersey.com) "The issue has come to the forefront since emergency vehicles had to get to the school in the fall for evacuations after fumes made some students and staff members ill."
2/4/2010 Tentative settlement struck in lawsuit over mold in Weakley Co. school (Jacksonsun.com) "The suit was filed in 2007 with the families claiming mold at Westview High School made their students sick."
2/4/2010 School No. 4 and my Wish List, part 2 (NewJersey.com) "We've read about the dreadful condition the school was in, how the third floor was uninhabitable, even "condemned.""
2/4/2010 Tests find high levels of PCBs at schools (The Riverdale Press)
2/4/2010 MSK staff says mold issue makes school unsafe for teachers, students (Seacoastonline.com) "The letter states that as many as 34 staff members are suffering from health problems as a result of mold issues at the school."
2/4/2010 Gas leak reported at St. Mary's Springs (fdlreporter.com) "Fond du Lac Police and Fire departments responded to a gas leak during a basketball game at St. Mary's Springs High School on Tuesday evening."
2/4/2010 Franklin plant must reduce air pollutants; odor may still be issue (Tennessean.com) "Sensors now sit atop Moore Elementary School and will be moved later to a second school. State inspectors will conduct 90 air tests at the plant... Superior Essex would be allowed to release only 235 tons of volatile organic compounds into the air during a year ...The odors are from chemicals in the creosol and phenol families and are by-products of the plant's operation."
2/4/2010 Angry, worried parents fill meeting about Mahopac Middle School fumes (LoHud.com) "MAHOPAC — Some 400 parents brought a mix of fear, concern and constructive criticism to the Mahopac Middle School Wednesday night as district officials held a question-and-answer session about air-quality problems in the school."
2/4/2010 Asphalt plant's fate to be decided Feb. 23(JDNew.com) Jacksonville NC "Onslow County is recently juggling the possibility of an asphalt plant being built along U.S. 17 north of Jacksonville. This plant would be very close to countless homes, a high school and even a daycare facility in spite of its harmful emissions."
2/1/2010 Oak Ridge Elementary tours set for Saturday (News and Record, NC) "The school, which closed due to concerns about mold and unexplained illnesses last year, is scheduled to reopen on Feb. 22."
2/1/2010 Gas leak causes evacuations, lockdown in Smithfield (Cache Valley Daily) "At about 11:30 a.m., according to emergency radio traffic, Sky View High School students were ordered into a classroom lock down after the odor of gas was detected at the school."

January 2010

1/31/2010 Sprinkler pipe bursts at Dover school, damages classrooms (Fosters Daily Democrat) "In addition to battling the moisture, crews were also faced with a foul odor that permeated both classrooms."
1/29/2010 L.A. Schools Worry About Toxic Playgrounds (CourthouseNews) "LOS ANGELES (CN) - Los Angeles Unified School District says the company it hired to install artificial turf on school playgrounds did not inform it that it would underlay the turf with carcinogens - carbon black and lead, in crumb rubber - that would come into direct contact with children."
1/29/2010 Response to slow about gas leak at school (The Sun Chronical) "What is the Mansfield School Department's procedure when a teacher, aide or other employee reports for the second time an odor of gas in one of the public schools during school hours? How about a third time?"
1/29/2010 Parents not convinced Whitney School is high and dry (Chicago Tribune) "Air quality remains a worry for some parents of children attending Lake Zurich's Whitney Elementary School, despite assurances from school officials and a state public health inspector that the building poses no significant mold or asbestos hazards."
1/29/2010 Weakley school mold lawsuit nears deal (Jackson Sun) "The Weakley County Board of Education and County Commission will discuss signing off on a tentative settlement in a nearly three-year battle to fix a mold issue in two of its schools."
1/28/2010 EPA tells schools to test for toxic PCBs in window caulk (The Herald-Sun) "WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of school buildings across the United States have caulk around windows and doors containing potentially cancer-causing PCBs, the Environmental Protection Agency says."
1/28/2010 Odor Forces Evacuation of Former Hillspoint School (WestportNow) "Westport firefighters today ordered the evacuation of dozens of pre-schoolers from the former Hillspoint School because of a chemical-like odor at the school. The youngsters were permitted to return to the school after about 20 minutes. None of those inside the pre-schools occuping the building complained of illness. Firefighters and town building officials traced the source of the odor to a roof sealant."
1/28/2010 Imperial landfill cited for gas odor (PittsburgPostGazette) "The inspection was spurred by two odor complaints to Findlay police by residents of Meanor and Margaret streets, in the vicinity of West Allegheny's Wilson Elementary School."
1/28/2010 Cleanup halted, but officials say Framingham's Wilson School is safe (MetroWest Daily News) "The remediation process will likely take three to five years, said Michael Hudson, a senior project manager for FS Engineers.Town officials emphasized the contaminated groundwater poses no threat to Wilson students or to nearby residents." I wonder if they would be willing to stake their own child's life on this promise?
1/27/2010 Tentative settlement reached in West Tennessee mold case (WRBCTV) "Two Martin families filed suit against the county and the school system in 2007 claiming toxic mold at Westview made their children sick."
1/27/2010 More States Require 'Green' Cleaning Products (ABCNews/Money) "More states are requiring schools and government buildings to use environmentally friendly cleaning products, raising debate about their costs and benefits."
1/27/2010 Schools asked to share in revenue cuts (Warwick Beacon) "Those offices are in a former school and employees have complained of headaches and respiratory problems believed to be related to mold and other issues relating to the building."
1/27/2010 Pennsauken voters reject school proposal (CourierPostOnline.com) "The school has been closed since June 2007 due to structural damage, mold and air-quality problems."
1/27/2010 School Modifies Rooms Due To Mold Threat (WKRC) "mold has kept kids out of a couple of their favorite classrooms at one local high school."
1/26/2010 Ventilation Underway At Farmington School, School Is Open (Courant.com) "FARMINGTON - Police and firefighters are at Irving A. Robbins Middle School ventilating a school hallway that has a lingering odor as a result of an overnight furnace malfunction, said police Lt. William Tyler."
1/26/2010 Smoke Odor Reported At Antioch Middle (KMBC TV) "The Fire Department investigated and found a problem with a rooftop air handler."
1/25/2010 City investigates chemical containers found near school, retirement home (Stamford Advocate.com) "City officials are investigating the discovery of potentially hazardous materials on the property of Scofield Magnet Middle School"
1/25/2010 Springs Elementary School Evacuated Due to Gas Smell (KRDO.com) "Taylor Elementary on 900 East Buena Ventura Street was evacuated just before 11:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a gas smell coming from the boiler room."
1/25/2010 Mahopac Middle School expected to be open tomorrow (LoHud.com) "The school on Baldwin Place Road was closed today after a natural gas leak was discovered about 6:45 this morning outside the building."
1/25/2010 Boxer plans hearing on toxic school drinking water (News Barbara Boxer) "Boxer, who chairs the Committee on Environment and Public Works that oversees the Environmental Protection Agency, has seized on the issue as a top priority, and has asked EPA officials to explain what actions they will take to protect school children from polluted water."
1/25/2010 Pennsauken hopes to get OK for school bond (CourierPostOnline.com) "The plan calls for razing Central Elementary School, which closed in June 2007 because of structural damage, mold and air-quality problems in the 1924 building, and replacing it with an environmentally friendly "green" school."
1/25/2010 Report on mold problem at Bangor Area Middle School suggests up to $2.3 million in fixes (lehighvalleylive.com) "The report states that the problem was caused, in part, because of an old HVAC system that sometimes pumps outdoor air directly into classrooms. Doors left open during summer construction also contributed to the presence of mold."
1/24/2010 Senate Committee Critiques Governor's Attacks on Environment, Public Health(California Progress Report) "Planning and Conservation League was on hand along with several other groups to explain that the proposal would be a de facto exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, and could lead to new toxic power plants or waste incinerators near schools and neighborhoods. Local residents would have no way to insist that a project's pollution and other impacts be mitigated to minimize harm.
1/24/2010 Deal between city, feds to deal with PCB toxins in school windows will stir up big problems (NewYorkDailyNews.com) "The agreement the Department of Education signed with the feds last Tuesday requires the city to study exposure risks at five contaminated schools and develop a citywide plan to remove caulking laced with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from all public schools. At least 90 are already known to be contaminated."
1/22/2010 Back to school yet again (Northwest Observer) "Although the school underwent a thorough investigation and cleanup, no definite source was found to explain what may have been making students and staff sick since 2005, when a major expansion of the school was completed."
1/22/2010, EPA vows to do all it can for school's air (USAToday) "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pledged Thursday to "use all the tools at our disposal" to reduce high levels of a toxic chemical that continues to permeate the air outside an elementary school in Marietta, Ohio."
1/22/2010 Hazmat spill closes I-75 for hours (WDTN) "A hazardous waste spill on Interstate 75 south of the Needmore Road exit in Dayton shut down the highway and evacuated nearby schools January 20, 2010."Students and staff at a northeast Houston school are evacuated after a gas line leak across the street."
1/22/2010 Weisenberg Elementary trying to solve a smelly problem (The Morning Call) " A diesel odor that has plagued Weisenberg Elementary School on and off since early last year is making some children sick, a parent told the Northwestern Lehigh School Board this week."
1/21/2010 Ruptured Gas Line Causes School Evacuation (MyFox)
1/21/2010 Roof leaks caused mold that was removed at Wicklund (Tracy Press) "The mold on the inside panel of the wall was found by officials after roof leaks damaged sheet rock in the building, said Lammersville Superintendent Dale Hansen."
1/21/2010 School bus catches fire (The Register Citizen) "About a dozen students felt sick due to breathing in burning fumes and were taken to New Milford Hospital," he said.
1/21/2010, Code Violations Found in Manhattan Schools (New York Times) "More than one third of Manhattan’s public school buildings have hazardous code violations, including many that have gone unresolved for years, threatening the safety of children and teachers, according to a report by the Manhattan borough president’s office."
1/19/2010, Explosion in high school chemistry class injures teacher, 7 students (Daily Freeman) "The explosion occurred during a fifth-period chemistry class while the teacher was demonstrating the properties of the chemical potassium chlorate"
1/19/2010 Asbestos in Schools: A Primer for Teachers and Parents (Asbestos.net) "The EPA only requires that schools remove damaged asbestos materials, and that they manage the levels of asbestos under the requirements established by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), which was enacted by Congress in 1986. Yet as with many regulations, there are a number of schools that are tragically in noncompliance with this act."
1/19/2010 EPA Announces Agreement with the City of New York On PCBs in School Caulk (EPA) "PCBs can affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems and are potentially cancer-causing if they build up in the body over long periods of time"
1/19/2010, Options listed for aging buildings in ROWVA School District (Galesburg.com) "
Moisture, mold, accessibility issues, life safety issues, boiler corrosion, antiquated electrical components and plumbing issues were all mentioned by Burge in his report of the three buildings."
1/19/2010, Research finds link between air pollution, school absences in Texas (Star Telegram) "Children in Texas are more likely to miss school when certain types of air pollution increase — even when the levels are below the limit set by the federal government, a new study says.The research also shows that absences decrease significantly when pollution decreases."
1/19/2010, San Gabriel residents to air concerns about bus terminal moving to local high school (San Gabriel Valley Tribune) "Brenden Lenihan, who lives a block and a half from the high school, said he is rounding up local residents to fight the move. 'Ramona Street in the morning probably backs up three quarters of a mile," Lenihan said. "Some residents are saying that they can't even get out of their driveways the way it is. And now you've got the noise, traffic and diesel fumes.'"
1/19/2010, Greenback School reopens despite concerns (KnoxNews.com) "As Greenback School prepares to reopen today following a nearly weeklong closure to detect and seal gas leaks, some Loudon County parents and school board members say it's past time for making short-term repairs."
1/18/2010, Proposed well worries opposing residents (Sequoyah Times) "Our concerns include the close proximity of the well site to our school playgrounds and athletic fields, the heavy truck traffic near the schools, and the potential for unauthorized dumping of hazardous materials at the well site."
1/17/2010 Aledo school district and Walsh Ranch to oppose waste transfer statio (Star Telegram) "Opponents of a proposed solid waste transfer station near Aledo, including the local school district and the Walsh Ranch development, are gearing up to fight the controversial project during a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hearing in March."
1/15/2010, EPA Warns of Cancer Danger from Radon in Homes and Schools (EPA.gov) "Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can exist at dangerous levels in homes, schools and other buildings. An estimated 20,000 people die every year in the U.S. from radon-related lung cancer."
1/15/2010 No students hurt in school bus crash with truck (Times Record Herald) "The bus was picking up Smith Clove Elementary School pupils shortly after 8 a.m. when Cecil Rossan, driving a box truck with hazardous materials on board, slammed into the back of the bus"
1/14/2010, Survey finds cancer causing chemicals used in schools (Environmental Data Interactive) "Of 206 local authorities polled, 15% responded with more than half saying they used four potentially cancer causing chemicals and seven other chemicals which can have a negative impact on children's health."
1/14/2010, Fire concerns, bomb threat plague Rockmart schools today (Cedartown Standard) "'It was an air conditioning belt and it caused the melted rubber odor to go into the bandroom,' Reilly said."
1/14/2010, Residents voice disapproval of ag barn (The Daily News) "Several opponents said they wanted the school board to consider moving the center’s location to land near the high school. . . A major complaint from residents at Tuesday’s public hearing was that nothing could be done to prevent the smell of livestock from wafting toward their homes.". . Action may only be taken against a company or organization if proven health effects arise from the odor, he said."
1/14/2010, College of the Desert Building Evacuated(KPSP local2) "Five people were taken away by ambulance for medical care, Wixon said, but a condition report was not available for those people. Another six people reported discomfort and relieved medical attention on site."
1/14/2010, Toxic day-care center in Glouco razed (Philadelphia Inquirer) "A toxic Gloucester County day-care building - where children once breathed mercury vapors - was demolished yesterday, ending an embarrassing chapter in New Jersey's struggle to manage thousands of contaminated sites."
1/13/2010, McDowell County Schools given back partial control (The Charleston Gazette) "Some older schools have mold in classrooms, are not handicapped-accessible and showed electrical hazards. Lights were out in parts of Iaeger Elementary, leading to some dimly lit classrooms. Even brand-new schools, like Bradshaw Elementary, did not have necessary programs in place to prevent future maintenance issues."
1/13/2010, Drug maker indicted for toxic dumping (Maryland Gazette) "In the fall of 2007, the company began cleaning up the property, which is located within a half mile of three schools. Last year, all that remained were two storage tanks containing about 20,000 gallons of waste water."
1/12/2010, Gas Leak Prompts Becker School Evacuation (WCCO) "Several staff members and students complained of burning eyes and difficulty breathing, but no one was taken to the hospital."
1/12/2010, Father: Child burned by school cleaning chemicals (The Eagle Tribune) "METHUEN — Officials are investigating whether cleaning chemicals used in school bathrooms burned a 5-year-old Timony Grammar School student."
1/12/2010, Northeast Middle Evacuated Due to Possible Gas Leak (Fox8) "GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. - Students and staff at Northeast Middle School were evacuated Monday morning after a reported gas leak at the school."
1/12/2010, Gas leak clears Harrisburg School District's William Penn campus for second day in a row (Pennlive.com) "Harrisburg School District’s William Penn campus was evacuated for the second time in two days this morning following the discovery of a possible gas leak."
1/12/2010, Officials lay out plans for B.R. Magnet High renovation (WAFB.com) "There are holes in the walls that go straight through from the classroom to the outside," said Eric Thomas, a senior at the school. "And you can feel the wind. There are termites, mold. Anything nasty, we have it."
1/12/2010, 3 on Pottstown school board riled over energy efficiency proposal (The Mercury) "Mold closed Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School," said Weand, a former teacher in that district.
1/12/2010, Firefighters face disciplinary charges for bonfire explosion (The Daily Journal) "The Nov. 25 bonfire, part of a pep rally for the school's football match-up with Millville, exploded upon ignition, sending flaming pallets sky high."
1/11/2010, Gov. Corzine signs N.J. law requiring parental notification of contaminated school sites (NJ.com) "The law was inspired by an incident in Paramus in January 2007, when authorities learned that pesticides — in concentrations up to 39 times above a level considered safe — were detected in soil at West Brook Middle School. Parents and staff did not learn about the pollution until five months later, in a report by The Record."
1/11/2010, Smoky smell empties Richland High School (The News Tribune) "Smoke had seeped into two classrooms in the 1000 building because of an overheated fan belt in the mechanical system, the school district said."
1/11/2010, Environmental groups try to block parts of California's green building code (Los Angeles Times) "The proposed code, likely to be adopted Tuesday, would slash water use, mandate the recycling of construction waste, cut back on polluting materials and step up enforcement of energy efficiency in new homes, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings statewide."
1/10/2010, Staring Into the Abyss (The Santa Barbara Independent) "A couple of years ago, mold was found in a science room.” Assistant Principal David Meister said several rooms and sometimes the hallway flooded when it rained, including, in one instance, the electrical room. Something needed to be done.
1/9/2010, Report due on Preston boiler failure: Malfunction is likely cause of spill at school (WaterWorld) "Several monitoring wells have been established around the leach field, where the oil was found and contained, and testing of neighboring drinking water wells is also under way."
1/9/2010, Mold repair sets stage for return to normal (Nashua Telegraph) "By the end of the month, they and their and teachers will be back in the lower-level classrooms they were forced to vacate after authorities found mold in many of the rooms."
1/9/2010, Noxious fume disrupts classes at school in NV (Las Vegas Sun) "A noxious fume sent more than two dozen students at an Elko County high school to the hospital today."
1/8/2010, Old boilers an ongoing problem at Batavia Elementary (Cincinnati.com) "The boiler was shut down when the odor of natural gas was detected."
1/8/2010, Fumes at school force evacuation (The Salem News) "BEVERLY — Administrators evacuated Hannah Elementary School just before 12:30 p.m. after a teacher smelled an unknown odor that turned out to be drain cleaner."
1/7/2010, Information Session Set For McGee School Project (Hartford Courant) "Officials say the school has had problems related to poor air quality for the past 15 years. Students and staff have complained about eye irritation, headaches and bad smells. School officials have said that some teachers cannot work in certain classrooms because of reactions to mold and poor air quality."
1/7/2010, School project remains stalled (The Republican) "The school closed in December of 2004 after being cited for 691 code violations, The yellow-brick school was built in 1901. The violations ranged from mold to structural problems.
1/6/2010, Sewer odor disturbs students at school (KRQE.com) "The smell seems to be coming from the boy’s bathroom. School officials closed the bathroom off for now because of the stench, which at times creeps into a nearby hallway and sometimes into nearby classrooms."
1/6/2010, Parents Concerned About Paint Fumes At Elementary School (KFOX14) "EL PASO, Texas -- A number of parents have contacted KFOX with concerns about ongoing interior painting inside Whitaker Elementary in the Northeast El Paso."ARLINGTON — Concerned with air quality, a residents panel has recommended that the city step up education efforts to cut down on the number of motorists idling at drive-throughs, school zones and railroad crossings."
1/6/2010, Arlington residents panel recommends ways to cut down on idling vehicles (Star Telegram) "
1/6/2010, Oil spill in Natick at Eliot Montessori School (MetroWestDailyNews) "
None of the 81 students or 17 staff members were evacuated, but one classroom had to be relocated to another portion of the school due to the fumes, the lieutenant said."
1/6/2010, Levels of arsenic, iron exceed state standards at schools site (StarNews Online) "Arsenic levels found in the soil around Castle Hayne Elementary and Holly Shelter Middle schools were above standards set by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources."
1/5/2010, Toxic Dust from Tar Travels into Homes (Discovery News) "Young children may actually be playing on coal-tar-sealed driveways and playgrounds, potentially raising their exposure to harmful chemicals."
1/5/2010, Gas odor halts SHS activities (The Bristol Press) "SOUTHINGTON — After-school activities at Southington High School were postponed Tuesday after the smell of natural gas permeated part of the school."
1/5/2010, Linwood schools seek resident input on strategic plan (Shore News Today) "“We had efficiency issues with windows, lights and pipe insulation, and we had an issue with mold at the time,” Superintendent Thomas A. Baruffi said at a board meeting Aug. 26."
1/5/2010, Plano ISD: Sigler Elementary students evacuated to Vines High School (Star Local News) "The students at Sigler Elementary School have been evacuated to Vines High School due to a "noxious smell," according to Plano Independent School District spokeswoman Lesley Range-Stanton."
1/5/2010, Court to hear appeal on Moss, The Advertiser, "The Duson school began experiencing leaks in 2000, a year after it was completed. Problems could be attributed to inadequate or nonexistent through-wall flashing, or roof flashing, as well as problems with the large entrance windows, according to court documents."
1/5/2010, Teachers walk out Maloney Govt, NewsDay, “When the teachers arrived this morning (yesterday) the fumes were overwhelming and teachers had to leave the compound due to threat to their own health and safety. The fumes were causing irritation to both the teachers and the students especially to those with respiratory problems.” Way to go teachers!
1/05/2010, Hazardous materials case settled, San Diego Times, "SAN DIEGO — San Diego Unified School District officials have agreed to spend more than $750,000 on fines, new hires, training and audits to settle a $1.26 million complaint from the county alleging widespread violations of laws governing hazardous materials."
1/04/2010, School classroom air may be more polluted with ultrafine particles than outdoor air, American Chemical Society, "The air in some school classrooms may contain higher levels of extremely small particles of pollutants — easily inhaled deep into the lungs — than polluted outdoor air, scientists in Australia and Germany are reporting in an article in ACS' semi-monthly journal Environmental Science & Technology."
1/04/2010, Ultrafine Particles in Indoor Air of a School: Possible Role of Secondary Organic Aerosols, Environmental Science and Techology, "Initial investigations showed that under the normal operating conditions of the school there were many occasions in all three classrooms where indoor particle concentrations increased significantly compared to outdoor levels."
1/04/2010, Students to return as spill cleanup continues, TheDay.com, "On Dec. 28 a large fuel oil spill occurred in the school's boiler room. The oil that was released onto the cement floor seeped into a drain, which leads to the building's septic tank and leach field behind the school."

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