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Dioxin Not to Disrupt School Start: ; Tests Show Traces of Chemical in Three Nitro Facilities, but Officials Think It's Nothing New

Posted on: Saturday, 30 July 2005, 00:00 CDT

DAILY MAIL STAFF

Despite test results indicating slightly elevated levels of the toxic chemical dioxin, Kanawha County school officials are saying the Aug. 29 scheduled openings of Nitro Elementary School and Nitro High School won't be delayed.

"I don't really anticipate that happening at this point," said Jim Withrow, lawyer for the school board. "This is not a brand new situation. I suspect many of the people who go to or work at the schools are living in Nitro and have been exposed to this already."

Earlier this year, Superintendent of Schools Ron Duerring agreed to have Nitro Elementary School, Nitro High School and Nitro Community Center tested for the toxic chemical compound.

Stuart Calwell, a plaintiff's attorney and former Kanawha County school board member, contacted school officials and advised them to test the schools given the chemical's presence in the Nitro community.

Test results showed increased levels of dioxin present in dust samples at all three buildings.

The levels, though slightly higher than what state agencies and the Environmental Protection Agency would like to see, do not pose a threat to school administrators, teachers or students at this point, Withrow said.

"This material has been in the schools for years," Withrow said. "I'm not saying we shouldn't take the situation seriously, but I want to convey that I don't think it's at a dangerous level right now."

The former Monsanto Co. chemical plant, located in Nitro, produced herbicides contaminated with Dioxin for close to 30 years, most likely releasing the chemical compound throughout the entire community.

Dioxin, which is the unintentional byproduct of certain industrial, non-industrial and natural processes, usually involving combustion, is considered to be a noxious chemical compound with varying levels of toxicity.

However, the dioxin that is present at the two schools, though elevated, is not in places students should come in contact with, school system officials said.

"We found it in crawl spaces, around beams in the attic areas, on the tops of ledges, mixed in with the dust," Withrow said. "It's not something where students are going to come in contact with it by walking down the halls."

Some administrators have continued to work at the two schools, uninformed of the chemical's presence.

Paul McClanahan, principal at Nitro High, said he didn't even find out about the test results until he read a report in The Charleston Gazette earlier this week.

He said school officials did not notify him about the results prior to this time.

"I knew they were doing some testing, but all I know about the results is what I read in the paper," he said.

Both McClanahan and Karen Price, principal of Nitro Elementary, said they have not been notified about any possibility of a delayed school opening.

They agree it's unlikely that would happen.

"I'm sure the school board and other school employees will share any information with me when they feel it's appropriate, or when they find out anything," Price said.

At this point, Withrow said school officials are looking into possible treatments and getting information from field experts on how to resolve the situation.

And despite concerns about possible lawsuits, Withrow said school system officials are fairly confident they won't run into such problems.

"In today's times, you're always concerned with liability," Withrow said. "On the other hand, we didn't cause this problem and we're responding to it as quickly as we can.

"I feel we've acted in a prudent and reasonable manner up to this point."

Contact writer Jessica Karmasek at Jessica@dailymail.com or 348- 1796.

Source: Charleston Daily Mail

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