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Officials outline radon removal steps at Old Fort Elementary

About 60 turn out for school meeting

photo by Britt Combs

Charles Gaffigan of Old Fort Elementary explains where the radon is concentrated, as Felix Fong (left) looks on.

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Learn more about radon and order a radon test kit at low- or no cost here.

By Britt Combs | The McDowell News

Published: November 3, 2009

Repairs and renovations are under way at Old Fort Elementary in an attempt to stop the concentration of radon gas in the school.

State environmental officials joined McDowell school administrators Monday night to field questions from Old Fort citizens about the radon situation in the elementary school.

A crowd of about 60 people turned out the school's auditorium to hear from officials from the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, including Lee Cox and Felix Fong.

In September, the state conducted radon tests in 27 separate rooms in the school. Of those, 64 percent -- 17 rooms -- had radon levels higher than EPA guidelines define as safe. The radon levels were on average slightly higher than those measured during the last radon tests at the school, in 1989 and 1990.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and has been linked to lung cancer in humans.

Principal Charles Gaffigan opened the meeting with a progress report.

"We got the results of the tests back on October 21," Gaffigan stated. "I had a staff meeting about it that day. The next day a letter was sent home explaining what we had found."

He explained the steps taken by the county school system's maintenance staff. The high radon levels are in ground level rooms in the oldest section of the building, familiar to long time residents as the old high school.

Workers have taken one room at a time, displacing the class into the library as the work is done. Baseboards are pulled and the joint between wall and floor slab is sealed.

Maintenance Director Garvin Trinks said the gap is often as wide as ¾-inch.The gap is sealed, the baseboard replaced and the class returned to its place.

Some attendees asked if the gas might penetrate through the slab, inasmuch as it has no vapor barrier beneath. But according to the DENR's John Kushner, who also spoke at the meeting, the slab is an effective barrier against gas, provided it is sealed.

Gaffigan said the work was going fast, despite the necessity of displacing classes to get it done.

"They finished a third classroom (Monday)" he said. "They have six more classrooms and two restrooms to go" on the fourth, fifth and sixth grade halls.

He explained that two engineers were sent from Raleigh by the DENR and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to formulate the plan. That plan includes increasing the flow of outside air through the HVAC system, not only to vent the contaminated air but also to increase the air pressure, thus reducing the draw of radon into the room.

As Lee Cox, acting chief of the DENR's Radon Protection Section explained, radon penetration tends to increase during months when heat is ion use. Not only because of the decreased ventilation, but also because heated air rises, producing low pressure near the ground, thus allowing a higher concentration of radon.

Gaffigan added that the additional flow of outside air will tend to increase the power bill by working the furnace harder. This goes counter to the energy-saving program, but should help to reduce the levels.

Cox went to great lengths to point out that the only proven health hazard of radon exposure was lung cancer. He said radon has not been positively linked to any other cancer, and it does not cause asthma or other respiratory illness. He said there is no evidence that children are at greater risk than adults.

In recent weeks many have wondered what steps, if any, were taken either locally or by the state in response to the high radon levels detected nearly two decades ago. Cox said there are no laws requiring "remediation or removal" of radon regardless of concentration, due to the fact that it is a naturally occurring substance.

He said there was likely no grant money available from the federal EPA to help with the Old Fort situation.

Gaffigan said he had devoted a lot of time to the situation since it has come to light, and learned a lot about radon. He said he would not rest or divert his attention until he was certain the school is safe.

"My son is in the sixth grade here," he stated. "He has been here every year I have been here, and he is in three of the rooms in question daily. I want this resolved just as much as you do."

He reiterated the intention to retest after these initial steps are completed. Associate Superintendent Mike Murray said the school system stands prepared to do whatever is needed to ensure the safety of all at the school, "both the staff, who are part of our family and the kids, who are our first responsibility," he stated.

Fong said a routine of testing every two years would be wise. He said the sealing efforts might not work at all or might not get the levels down far enough, but it was the correct and appropriate first step.

Both Cox and Fong stated that they have a radon problem in their office in Raleigh, with levels in Fong's office being very high. Upgrades to the offices HVAC system, said Cox, reduced the radon levels there by 65 percent.

Superintendent Ira Trollinger said he welcomed public attention to the matter.

"I pledge to you, we will put the children's safety first," he said. "We're not going to hide anything. We want the building to be as safe as it can be."

He said he, too, had learned a great deal about radon. He said it is a potential issue in every school, every home, office or church. He urged the public to test for radon in their homes and other indoor areas.

Fong said his department stands ready to help. A visit to his offices Web site will provide information. You can also order a radon test kit via the Web site, at $4 each, a considerable savings, he added, over the retail price.

An upcoming program in January, he concluded, will allow North Carolinians to order radon test kits free of charge. To visit the radon Project on the Web, simply click the link at the top of this story.