Soil at a Toronto Catholic school has levels of heavy metals and other pollutants exceeding provincial guidelines, a routine environmental assessment has revealed.
St. Josaphat elementary school on Pelham Ave., in the Davenport Rd.- Lansdowne Ave. area, was found to have soil samples with elevated levels of lead, cadmium and zinc.
“Ontario has one of the strictest guidelines in North America,” said John Yan, a Catholic board spokesman. “These same results would have passed in 2004. These are fairly new guidelines.”
The initial assessment was done by the French public school board as it prepares to purchase the building from the Catholic board this fall.
Another assessment will be done to determine the extent of soil to be removed, said Corrado Maltese, safety manager for the Catholic board.
“Any soil quality that doesn’t meet the standard will be removed and replaced,” said Yan. “These are all precautionary measures.”
Yan said the school sits on a former CIL paint site, adding the proximity of railway tracks likely caused some metal runoff.
The board held two information sessions to inform parents of the situation.
“They were concerned in knowing what the readings of test results were,” said Yan, adding an individual would have to eat the soil three times a day, every day, for 10 years for it to have any effect on health.
“Once we explained to them the level of the results, they were quite satisfied with the steps that we’re taking to remove the soil that currently doesn’t meet the guidelines.”
The building will be shared by the French and Catholic school boards this fall, as students from St. John the Evangelist temporarily relocate there.
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif
St. Josaphat elementary school on Pelham Ave., in the Davenport Rd.- Lansdowne Ave. area, was found to have soil samples with elevated levels of lead, cadmium and zinc.
“Ontario has one of the strictest guidelines in North America,” said John Yan, a Catholic board spokesman. “These same results would have passed in 2004. These are fairly new guidelines.”
The initial assessment was done by the French public school board as it prepares to purchase the building from the Catholic board this fall.
Another assessment will be done to determine the extent of soil to be removed, said Corrado Maltese, safety manager for the Catholic board.
“Any soil quality that doesn’t meet the standard will be removed and replaced,” said Yan. “These are all precautionary measures.”
Yan said the school sits on a former CIL paint site, adding the proximity of railway tracks likely caused some metal runoff.
The board held two information sessions to inform parents of the situation.
“They were concerned in knowing what the readings of test results were,” said Yan, adding an individual would have to eat the soil three times a day, every day, for 10 years for it to have any effect on health.
“Once we explained to them the level of the results, they were quite satisfied with the steps that we’re taking to remove the soil that currently doesn’t meet the guidelines.”
The building will be shared by the French and Catholic school boards this fall, as students from St. John the Evangelist temporarily relocate there.
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif
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