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EPA Issues First Set of Air Toxics Monitoring Data from Roland-Story High School in Story City, Iowa

Release Date: 12/15/2009
Contact Information: David Bryan, 913-551-7433, [email protected]

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Dec. 15, 2009) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 announced today that the first set of air toxics monitoring data from Roland-Story High School in Story City, Iowa, has been posted on the agency's Web site, as part of the agency's Schools Air Toxics Monitoring Initiative.

The initiative, which is monitoring air at 63 schools in 22 states, is designed to help EPA and state environmental agencies understand potential risks from toxics in outdoor air, and determine whether any exposures might pose health concerns for children and staff at the schools, or to residents in surrounding communities.

The data is posted at www.epa.gov/schoolair/schools.html

Based on the best available information about emissions and sources of pollution in the area around Roland-Story High School, the pollutant most likely to be of concern there is diisocyanates, which are used in the production of polyurethanes. The first set of data from sampling at the school showed levels of diisocyanates that were so low they were categorized as technically "non-detectable" by the monitoring equipment on the site. The first sampling period covered the period from August 23 through October 16, 2009.

Outdoor air at Roland-Story High School and at each of the other schools being studied in EPA's initiative is being sampled until at least 10 usable samples are obtained by air quality monitoring equipment. EPA will use the information gathered in the initiative to help determine any necessary next steps.

Besides Roland-Story High School, EPA is also currently monitoring air at Colvin Elementary School in Wichita, Kan., the only other school included in the initiative within the four states and nine tribal nations served by Region 7.