June 26, 2024
Dear Parents, Caregivers, and our Staff:
We are writing to provide you with an update on the recent testing for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in our school. PCBs are chemicals commonly used in building materials and electrical equipment before 1980. They can be released into indoor air from building materials that contain PCBs. PCBs can cause serious health problems. The potential for health effects from PCBs, as with other chemicals, depends on how much, how often, and how long someone is exposed to them.
Indoor air testing for PCBs took place at Lake Region UHS during the week of February 26-29, 2024. An environmental consultant collected samples of indoor air that were processed by a laboratory, and then reviewed by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Vermont Department of Health.
What was found?
No tested room or space has PCB levels at or above the lowest Vermont School Action Level for our school:
30 ng/m3 (nanograms per cubic meter) for pre-kindergarten
60 ng/m3 for kindergarten through 6th grade
100 ng/m3 for 7th grade through adult
Why are the levels different for each age group?
Food is the main non-school source of exposure to PCBs for most people. Younger children are exposed to more PCBs per their body weight from the food they eat. The school action levels take into account the total exposure to PCBs for students and staff from the food they eat. That is why the school action level is lower for younger children and higher for older children and adults.
Test Results
Approximately one third of all rooms and spaces, such as stairways and hallways, in the school were tested. Rooms and spaces not listed were not tested. “Not detected” means that the laboratory did not detect any PCBs.
Room or Space | Result (ng/m3) |
|---|---|
Custodial Room 1 | 27 |
Kitchen | 18 |
Library | 16 |
Basement Hallway | 15 |
Cafeteria | 15 |
Upper Level Hallway | 14 |
Music Classroom | 11 |
Academic Achievement Center (Room 100) | 10 |
Boiler Room | 9 |
Staff Rest Room 1 | 9 |
Teacher Dining and Offices Space | 9 |
Boys Locker Room | 8 |
Agriculture Classroom | 8 |
Gym/Cafeteria/ hall restroom | 8 |
Room 204 | 8 |
Entrance Level Classroom | 8 |
Room 106 | 7 |
Gym | 6 |
Room 104 | 6 |
South Staircase | 6 |
Room 212 | 6 |
Room 201 | 6 |
Basement Restroom | 5 |
Room 210 | 5 |
Main Office | 4 |
Multi Purpose Room | 3 |
Gym Area Staircase | Not Detected |
Room 102 | Not Detected |
Room 207 | Not Detected |
Room 215 | Not Detected |
What about the rooms that were not tested?
Before testing, the consultant evaluated the school building for potential PCB sources and assigned rooms to groups based on the presence of similar building materials, construction and/or renovation dates. About one third of rooms in each group were tested. Rooms that were not tested are assumed to have similar PCB levels as the tested rooms in that same group.
What happens next?
Our goal and the goal of our state partners is to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff. Since the PCB levels are below the school action level, we don’t need to do anything further. Our school will continue to use best management practices to reduce PCB exposures in indoor air, as well as manage PCBs in building materials during any renovations.
However, if the use of a classroom changes, then the results need to be evaluated against the new use, for example if a room is currently used for 7th grade and needs to be used for 6th grade, the results need to be re-evaluated against the school action level for the K-6 age group.
Questions?
Find more information about PCBs, including the complete test results, at https://www.dec.vermont.gov/pcb-schools.
For testing and test results questions, email SOV.PCBSampling@vermont.gov
For health-related questions, call 1-800-439-8550.
Sincerely,
Andre M. Messier
Principal
amessier@ocsu.org