GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS MEDIA ALERT WESTERN MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSED FOR TESTING

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1 MEDIA ALERT Contact: Kim Eves, Communications: (h) or (w) Don Strange, Principal, Western Middle School: WESTERN MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSED FOR TESTING For immediate release, October 27, 2003: School officials announced today that a small mercury spill, approximately two (2) ounces, has occurred at Western Middle School. The spill occurred in a classroom in the West-Wing (6th grade academic area) when a student accidentally dropped a blood pressure device following a demonstration in class. The Greenwich Health Department and the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP- the lead agency in this matter) were contacted immediately and subsequently, the Greenwich Fire Department was also notified. The area was evacuated and students and staff were prevented from re-entering. As a precautionary measure, the following steps have been taken. It is important to note that all of these measures are precautionary. School officials have been advised that it is not likely that there are any health dangers. These only result from long term exposure to substantial quantities of mercury. 1. The DEP is currently testing all students who were in the area. If students test above acceptable limits, a special soap will be provided to remove any residue. If clothes are contaminated, they will be left with the DEP to be disposed of properly. We are following established protocols that have been set by the DEP. 2. Parents should bring their children to the Western gymnasium between 8am and 6pm tomorrow when the remaining students and staff (approximately 400 students and 70 staff members) will be tested. Again, special soap will be provided for students who test positive and contaminated clothing will be left with the DEP. Students should bring shoes they were wearing today (Monday) in a plastic bag. Please Note: there will be no school bus service for Western Middle School tomorrow, Tuesday, October 28, We have contracted with Earth Technology (an Industrial Cleaning Company) to clean any area that has been contaminated. Testing will be completed in every part of the building to insure that every area is clean. 4. There will be no school tomorrow, Tuesday, October 28, 2003, so the testing of all students and staff as well as the facilities can be completed. We anticipate that school will re-open on Wednesday. However, the school will not re-open until school officials are certain that all students and each area of the school is declared free of any contamination. This will be authorized by a certified Industrial Hygienist.

2 5. Information about clean-up, school closing, etc., may be obtained from the GPS Web Site (greenwichschools.org), the WMS Web Site (greenwichschools.org/wms), the Town of Greenwich Web Site (greenwichct.org) and the local media (WGCH, Channel 12, etc.). Parents and staff have been contacted via, phone and chains. A letter has been sent to parents from the Principal, Don Strange, the Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Maria Melendez, and Caroline Calderone Baisley, Director, Greenwich Department of Health.

3 MEDIA ALERT Contact: Kim Eves, Communications or STATUS UPDATE ON WESTERN MIDDLE SCHOOL WMS Will be Closed on Wednesday For Immediate Release- Tuesday, October 28, 2003: Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Larry Leverett, announced this afternoon that Western Middle School will remain closed for at least one more day, Wednesday, October 29 th. The school was closed today due to a small (2ozs.) mercury spill that occurred on Monday, October 26 th. Western s gymnasium is open today until 6:00p.m. in order to test students and staff that were not tested yesterday for any possible mercury residue. The State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has advised school officials to remain closed as a precautionary measure, until the results of the tests have been received and an analysis has been completed. Although the mercury spill was small, and the various health agencies concur that it requires long-term exposure to large amounts of mercury to produce adverse effects, the Greenwich Public Schools have implemented a number of precautionary measures to insure student and staff safety. The area where the spill occurred was immediately closed and students and staff were evacuated from the area. The DEP, Greenwich Department of Health and Greenwich Fire Department were called in. A company certified in mercury clean up was hired to remove the carpet in the classroom where the accident occurred and to conduct a comprehensive cleaning of the entire area. The entire school was ventilated for several hours. Many students and staff members have been tested for mercury residue. School officials continue to urge all students and staff to come to the building for testing. They are instructed to bring the clothes and shoes that they were wearing on Monday packed in a plastic bag. A very aggressive air quality testing program is underway in the impacted area of Western Middle School. It is estimated that between air samples will be collected and analyzed. The results are expected to be available late Wednesday, October 29 th. A decision will be made regarding the opening of school Thursday, October 30 th, once these results are available. Lockers and school buses will also be screened to detect any traces of mercury and to ensure that the contents of the lockers are at acceptable levels. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Greenwich Department of Health will make the decision that the school is within established state and federal guidelines. Over 410 students and 30 staff members appeared for testing of clothing and shoes by environmental hygienists to determine the presence of mercury contamination. 67 students had a very low positive reading indicating some residual presence of mercury on either their shoes or clothing. The decision has been made to conduct targeted home testing over the next several days.

4 The district is working with DEP and the Earth Technology Corporation, a North Haven environmental remediation contractor, and will conduct screenings at the homes of Western School students who had positive readings on shoes or clothing. Western School staff will coordinate the schedule and the home testing will be conducted by Earth-Tech. The Greenwich Fire Department will also participate in the coordination of the home inspections. Testing will focus on areas frequently used by students. Families will be provided with a DEP information fact sheet concerning mercury exposure and risk. Ken Leclerc, on-site Connecticut DEP HAZMAT representative, commended the district for its quick and aggressive action, noting that the school district is doing above and beyond what other districts have done in similar situations. The Greenwich Department of Health has provided the following information: The Department of Environmental Protection, Earth Technologies Inc. and members of the Greenwich Fire Department are using meters to test clothing of students and staff who were in the building yesterday when the mercury spill occurred. Clothing and shoes that are found contaminated will be decontaminated, if possible, and returned. If the clothing is not returnable it will be itemized and discarded properly. Since most of the students had gone home prior to being tested those children who had elevated mercury levels found on their clothing will be receiving calls from the school to set up appointments to screen their homes for mercury. Based on the levels being detected so far there is little concern of health effects. Mercury exposure at the levels found would need to be constant for several days in order for health effects to occur. If you have any questions on this please call the Division of Environmental Services at (203) The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health has a fact sheet on health effects of mercury ( The State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection ( For your information: The Department of Public Works is hosting a Household Hazardous Waste Day on Saturday November 15, 2003 at Greenwich High School from 8AM to noon and will be holding a mercury thermometer exchange also. A parent/community meeting is being held Wednesday, October 29 th at 7:00 p.m., Central Middle School Auditorium. Representatives from local and state agencies will participate in an information session and update parent and community members. School Officials urge parents/staff to check the GPS web site (greenwichschools.org) the Western Middle School web site (greenwichschools.org/wms), and the local media for updates.

5 COMMUNICATIONS Contact: Kim Eves, Communications or WESTERN MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL RE-OPEN ON THURSDAY For Immediate Release, October 29, 2003: School officials announced late this afternoon that Western Middle School has been cleared to re-open tomorrow, Thursday, October 30 th. Testing results received today indicate that mercury levels are within acceptable standards and/or not detected at all. The Greenwich Department of Health has authorized school officials to open the school on Thursday. The second floor of the west wing will not open until the contracting work has been completed. There is a parent and community meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. tonight at Central Middle School to provide additional information and an opportunity for questions and answers.