Radioactive material found in Missouri elementary school with ‘unacceptable’ levels of contamination

Jana Elementary School in Florissant, Missouri sits alongside Coldwater Creek, a waterway contaminated by improperly stored radioactive waste. (CNN) — An elementary school outside of St. Louis has “unacceptable” levels of radioactive contamination from waste dating back to the creation of the first atomic bomb in the 1940s, and residents fear it could be related to several cases of illness, disease and death in the area. According to an independent report by the Boston Chemical Data Corporation, “unacceptable” radioactive levels were found throughout the Jana School in Florissant, Missouri. “Jana School, like many homes, institutions and businesses in the area, is bordered by Coldwater Creek. This waterway has been contaminated by radioactive waste leakage from disposal that began shortly after World War II and has not yet been cleaned up,” said Marco Kaltofen, an author of the study. “The debris in the creek is from the waste from the Manhattan Engineering District Project. Many properties in this area are tested on a fairly regular basis,” Kaltofen told CNN. “Unfortunately, when Coldwater Creek floods its banks, some of that radioactive material is deposited on neighboring land, like the school.” In a statement Friday, the school district said it was aware of the report. “Safety is always our top priority, and we are actively discussing the implications of the findings. The Board of Education will consult with attorneys and experts in this area of ​​evidence to determine next steps.” A school board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night. The PTA says they are working tirelessly to keep the area safe for their children. He is asking for letters to be written to community leaders and elected officials. The sample message reads: “Radioactive contamination found inside Jana Elementary School and on the outside playground is an unacceptable threat. I request an immediate cleanup of hazardous waste on the Jana Elementary School property and building, in its entirety, to ensure the safety of our children, teachers, and school staff.” In August of this year, 32 soil, dust and plant samples were taken from the school for the study. Samples were collected from places in the school, such as the library, the ventilation system, and classroom surfaces. “The most prominent result of the August 2022 testing at Jana School was that the levels of the radioactive isotope lead-210 found on the school grounds were completely unacceptable,” the report says. Levels of radioactive lead, known as lead-210, found in the kindergarten’s playground were “more than 22 times the expected level,” while levels of lead-210 in the basketball courts of the school were “more than 12 times higher than the expected level,” the report said. Lead exposure can affect almost every system in the body, damaging the brain and nervous system. It can slow growth and development and cause learning and behavior problems, such as low IQ, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and hearing and speech problems. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no safe level of lead in children’s blood. Also, increased exposure to radioactive materials can lead to cancer later in life, according to the CDC. A person can spread radioactive materials, such as dust, to other people through their clothing. “People who are externally contaminated can spread the contamination by touching surfaces, sitting in a chair, or even walking around the house. Contaminants can easily fall off clothing and contaminate other surfaces,” the CDC explained. Low levels of radiation exist naturally and exposure is also possible from everyday objects. History of contamination in the area Jana Elementary School serves just over 400 students in Florissant, Missouri and is located near Coldwater Creek, a creek that was contaminated with waste from uranium processing used as part of the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb in the 1940s and 1950s, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a federal public health agency. Radioactive waste was improperly stored and caused the contamination of Coldwater Creek decades ago. Jana School is bordered on two sides by the creek and one of its polluted tributaries. In a 2019 report by the Agency, local residents alleged numerous illnesses and deaths that they believed were related to the site. However, the agency was unable to determine if any of those illnesses were definitely caused by exposure to the pollutants. “Radiological contamination in and around Coldwater Creek, prior to remediation activities, may have increased the risk of some types of cancer in people who played or lived there,” the report states. The US Army Corps of Engineers initially detected radioactive material near the school grounds in 2018, according to the independent report, and confirmed its presence with further testing between 2019 and 2021. But Army Corps testing only they included samples from outside the school, rather than on and in school property, according to the report. “Our team will evaluate the Boston Chemical Data Corp. report and the methods used to create these results. The Boston Chemical Data Corp. report is not consistent with our accepted assessment techniques and should be carefully scrutinized to ensure accuracy,” said Phil Moser, manager of the St. Louis District Formerly Used Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). , from the US Army Corps of Engineers “The Jana Elementary School property has FUSRAP contamination near the CWC bank which is below ground surface and in a heavily wooded area. However, sample locations in the actual floodplain between the bank of Coldwater Creek (CWC) and the playground are not contaminated,” an Army Corps of Engineers statement said. The first indications from the data are that FUSRAP contamination is isolated to the bank of Coldwater Creek, the statement said. “The team has been coordinating with the Hazelwood School District regarding the status of sampling at the property,” the statement said. “Any contamination that poses a high risk or immediate threat to human health or the environment would be a priority for remediation.” CNN’s Carma Hassan, Ashley Davis and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.