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Published October 24, 2007 07:46 pm - Schools are not usually one of the largest sources of mercury in the environment — but they are places where mercury and children may come together. BOE has to supervise environmental cleanup By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com Star Beacon SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — Schools are not usually one of the largest sources of mercury in the environment — but they are places where mercury and children may come together.
Vandals recently hit the old Columbus Junior High School building, vacated this school year when the new Lakeside High School opened, and junior high students moved into the old high school on West 44th Street in Ashtabula. Police suspect juveniles broke into the building and smashed the mercury-laden fluorescent lighting. The vandalism occurred before work crews were scheduled to go in and properly remove the light bulbs, Superintendent Joseph Donatone said at the Ashtabula Area City Schools Board of Education meeting Wednesday night. “They broke into the school, and there was stuff all over the floor,” Donatone said. “Now, it must be cleaned up according to EPA guidelines.” Fluorescent lighting contains mercury, the most toxic nonradioactive pollutant on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s list of hazardous substances. The school board unanimously voted to award the cleanup of the hazardous waste to Precision Environmental Co. in the amount of $36,000. School board member Steve Candela wanted to know where the district was going to get the money. “It will be paid by our insurance because it was vandalism,” Donatone said. “The only cost to the board will be our $500 deductible.” Donatone did not mention what affect the claim may have on the BOE’s insurance premium. The decontamination process includes collecting the mercury with special equipment, washing down the contaminated area with a nitric acid solution, using a special chemical that eliminates mercury vapors, and washing down everything again, according to EPA’s Web site. 
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