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NJ School Closed Because of Tainted Soil07-09-07 | News

NJ School Closed Because of Tainted Soil




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In a statement, Superintendent Janice Dime said the soil contaminated with chemicals including Chlordane was left over from trench work and installation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.


Three chemicals banned by the federal government’s Environmental Protection Agency were found in a pile of soil on the campus of West Brook Middle School in Paramus, NJ, causing the school to temporarily close.

The chemicals included Chlordane, which is commonly used to prevent termites, and Aldrin a pesticide that turns into dieldrin as it breaks down. They were found in the soil at a rate 39 times that of the state’s safety guidelines.

Police erected barriers around the building to keep students and faculty out for the dirt?EUR??,,????'???s removal and for the DEP to conduct more testing.

DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson issued a statement that said the school district would be required to pay for the cost of removing and testing the contaminated soil.

Following the closure, more than 150 parents attended a Borough Council meeting and wanted to know why they were told about the soil last week when the school district knew of contamination in January.

Source: newsday.com

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