Test results in from Franklin schools

Tests outside of two Franklin elementary schools showed little to no levels of possible contaminants around the buildings.

In some tests, nothing was detected in the air around the buildings, and in others, the amounts found were significantly below the allowable amounts, school officials said.

But, in order to be extra cautious and address the concerns raised by the community, school officials are having additional testing done underneath the buildings, Franklin Schools Superintendent David Clendening said.

School officials contracted with EnviroForensics, an environmental engineering firm, after concerns were raised by a group of parents about possible contamination near a former manufacturing facility located near both Needham and Webb elementary schools. The firm researched data from past monitoring in the area and was not able to quickly get information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and with school approaching, officials decided last week to do their own tests of the air around the schools.

Those results came in this week, showing no detectable amounts of volatile organic compounds in the testing of air on top of and around the schools, according to a news release from the school district and the study results.

In addition, testing was also done of soil gas samples around the schools, which did detect small amounts of volatile organic compounds, including PCE and TCE, which studies have found can have impacts on people’s health.

The amounts found in six areas tested showed levels of TCE at 1.67 micrograms per cubic meter or less, and PCE at levels between 5.77 and 67.3 micrograms per cubic meter. Under national standards, the allowable amounts for people’s homes are 21 micrograms of TCE, and 420 micrograms of PCE, according to the school district.

With the amounts being lower than the maximums allowed, no further testing is required by the state. But school officials wanted to be extra cautious and are now boring into the slabs of the buildings to test the soil gas underneath the building, Clendening said.

“We just want everybody to know that we really did our due diligence,” he said.

“And we continue to look to our experts to help us discern what we should do.”

Officials feel good about starting classes in both buildings next week, Clendening said.

More testing is needed, but what these tests have shown is that the schools are safe for kids to start classes next week, said Dr. Craig Moorman, a local pediatrician and Johnson County health officer.

“I look at it as really good news,” Moorman said.

The community wants more answers and to be sure their health is protected, but the information from this study is encouraging, Moorman said.

The amounts found are significantly under what is allowable under national standards, which are determined through testing by experts, and are also microscopic amounts, Moorman said.

Technology used for testing is extremely sensitive, and can pick up trace amounts. What was found is measured in micrograms, which is one-millionth of a gram. For perspective, a gram is about a pinch of salt, and the amounts detected are one-millionth of that, Moorman said.

“We are very fortunate, we have amazing technology to detect these small amounts in the environment, and it’s so sensitive it can pick up almost nothing,” Moorman said.

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Here is a look at the results of soil gas sampling around Needham and Webb elementary schools in Franklin:

TCE

Sample 2;1.67 micrograms per cubic foot

Allowable amount;21 micrograms per cubic foot

PCE

Sample 1;5.77 micrograms per cubic foot

Sample 2;17.8 micrograms per cubic foot

Sample 3;24.8 micrograms per cubic foot

Sample 4;10.4 micrograms per cubic foot

Sample 5;67.3 micrograms per cubic foot

Sample 6;12.6 micrograms per cubic foot

Allowable amount;420 micrograms per cubic foot

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