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EPA Releases Final Report on Air Toxics Near St. Josaphat School, No Unsafe Levels of Hexavalent Chromium, Lead or Other Toxic Metals Detected

Release Date: 09/01/2010
Contact Information: Phillippa Cannon, 312-353-6218, [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 10-OPA099

Chicago (Sept. 1, 2010) -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 announced today that the final report based on the school air toxics monitoring data from St. Josaphat School in Chicago, Ill., has been posted on the Agency’s website.

Based on the monitoring results, EPA found no concern for risk of health problems from short-term or long-term exposures to hexavalent chromium, lead, or other toxic metals. EPA is pleased to share this good news with the school and the community. Because no concentrations of concern were found, monitoring has been discontinued at the school.

The report is posted on EPA’s website at: https://www.epa.gov/schoolair.

The Schools Air Toxics Monitoring Initiative, which monitored outdoor air at 63 schools in 22 states, is designed to help EPA and state environmental agencies understand whether long-term exposure to air toxics poses health concerns for children and staff at the schools.

From Aug. 17 through Oct. 22, 2009, a monitor collected air samples near the St. Josaphat School. Hexavelent chromium was the key pollutant of interest. During the monitoring period, EPA evaluated the concentrations to see if there was an issue with short-term exposures to manganese and other air toxics. Once the monitoring was complete, EPA analyzed the results to see if there was a concern from long-term exposures. In order to keep the community informed, EPA posted individual air sample results on the website throughout the monitoring period.

Other schools being monitored in EPA Region 5 are Lincoln Elementary School, Warsaw, Ind.; Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, East Chicago, Ind.; Jefferson Elementary School, Gary, Ind.; Pittsboro Elementary School, Pittsboro, Ind.; Lincoln Park Elementary School, Muskegon, Mich.; Minnesota International Middle Charter School, Minneapolis, Minn.; La Croft Elementary School, East Liverpool, Ohio; Elm Street Elementary School, Wauseon, Ohio; Life Skills of Trumbull County and the Academy of Arts and Humanities, Warren, Ohio; The Ohio Valley Educational Service Center and Warren Elementary School, Marietta, Ohio; and Whitwell Elementary School, Ironton, Ohio.

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