Paint with banned chemical found at high school, plans for forum, fix – Fairfield Citizen

Photo: Laura Weiss / Hearst Connecticut Media

PCB-containing paint was found at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, pictured June 27, 2017, in Fairfield, Conn.

PCB-containing paint was found at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, pictured June 27, 2017, in Fairfield, Conn.

Paint with banned chemical found at high school, plans for forum, fix

FAIRFIELD Paint containing a toxic chemical was recently found during a construction project at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. Environmental testing showed no health concerns from the paint, encapsulated under layers of repainting.

The PCB-containing paint was found during a window replacement project at Ludlowe, and a forum is scheduled for July 11 to address any public concerns. PCBs or polychlorinated biphenyls are synthetic chemicals that were once widely used but subsequently banned in the U.S. in the 1970s amid environmental and human health concerns. The National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services classifies PCBs as a known carcinogen.

At the Board of Educations June 27 meeting, member Jessica Gerber reported the chemicals read at an above-normal but not particularly high level in some classrooms. She added the chemicals are not airborne.

Its really more of a technical issue, she said, noting it is more of a procedural than safety concern. A report must be provided to the Environmental Protection Agency on how the PCBs will be handled, Gerber noted.

While testing showed no air quality concerns or health risks, the high schools building committee and town, state and national health and environment officials are working with the town and its environmental consultants to create an abatement plan, according to a statement from the town. Work on the window replacement is set to continue without delay.

The forum is scheduled for July 11 at 7 p.m. in the Board of Education conference room, the second floor board room at 501 Kings Highway East in Fairfield. Environmental consultants and Fairfield Health Department staff will field questions.

Health director Sands Cleary was unavailable for comment. School district Director of Operations Thomas Cullen did not return multiple requests for comment.

lweiss@hearstmediact.com; @LauraEWeiss16

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Paint with banned chemical found at high school, plans for forum, fix - Fairfield Citizen