posted by Joe Polk at 10:38 AM /
What if your child's school was infected with a dangerous gas, but you were never told about it?
Team 4 has learned testing at a school in Mt. Lebanon found high levels of radon, but parents say they didn't find out until Channel 4 Action News investigative reported Paul Van Osdol told them.
Howe Elementary in Mt. Lebanon is a Pennsylvania school of distinction. But five years ago, the school distinguished itself in another way: high radon levels.
Link: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/21529957/detail.html
Team 4 has learned testing at a school in Mt. Lebanon found high levels of radon, but parents say they didn't find out until Channel 4 Action News investigative reported Paul Van Osdol told them.
Howe Elementary in Mt. Lebanon is a Pennsylvania school of distinction. But five years ago, the school distinguished itself in another way: high radon levels.
Link: www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/21529957/detail.html
Labels: howe elementary school, radon, school district
3 Comments:
"The new test results do show radon levels are below EPA limits."
So what's the problem?
The following message from Dr. Timothy Steinhauer, Superintendent of the Mt. Lebanon School District, was forwarded to me with a suggestion that I post it:
"There is a story currently running on WTAE regarding radon. Here is our response -
As I have previously reported, WTAE has been doing a story on radon. They made a right-to-know request several weeks ago asking for information regarding radon testing in all of our schools since January 1, 2000. Of all of the radon tests conducted over the past several years, areas in 5 schools tested above the EPA's maximum safe level of 4.0 – Foster, Markham, Lincoln, High School, and Howe. All schools were mitigated - primarily by adjusting ventilation systems. Adjusting ventilation is an acceptable method for mitigation as indicated by the EPA. Only the High School was mitigated using a slab pump system.
Howe Elementary was identified in the WTAE report as having had high levels of radon in the past. Recent tests in that building indicate that all radon levels are well below the 4.0 level. We have no record that Ken Getkin, previous Howe Principal, knew about or informed the Howe parents of this issue back in 2004. Our Facilities Department was aware and addressed the issue at that time.
As of today, there are no buildings known to have radon levels higher than the 4.0 EPA identified threshold. The EPA has suggested that every room directly above a slab or crawl space be tested for radon. We will continue to test for radon throughout the District whenever appropriate. I have directed the Facilities Department to develop a testing and reporting protocol for radon in our schools.
We are sending an email to the Howe parents reassuring them that radon levels are in the safe zone and we will continue to monitor radon.
Timothy J. Steinhauer
Superintendent
Mt. Lebanon School District
7 Horsman Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
412-344-2076"
We remodeled Howe School in 2003; were the Howe School parents sleeping for six years?
Who were these parents that waited six years to bring to this problem? Was one of them just elected to the school board?
Post a Comment
<< Home