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Many Louisiana Schools Rank High in Exposure To Toxic Air Pollution Print E-mail
Investigations done by USA Today show that many schoolchildren may be exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals and a number of the schools with the highest rankings can be found here in Louisiana. USA Today used two methods to rank the schools. One method was to use a computer model developed by the EPA called Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) which estimates where chemicals that are released by industry go and in what quantities. USA Today then compared that data to  school locations. The other method was to physically monitor the air at 95 of these schools. The clear outcome is that many school children may be exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals and more monitoring must be done.

The EPA RSEI model was used to track the path of industrial pollution that industrial facilities estimate that they release (TRI) and mapped to the locations of almost 128,000 schools in the United States. That data was used to estimate the levels of toxic chemicals on the school grounds outside of the school buildings.

The physical sampling that was done found that there were, in fact, high levels of toxic chemicals in the air at many of the schools that were tested. USA today took "snapshot" air samples outside 95 schools. On the day they were tested 64 of the schools had levels of toxic chemicals higher than some states consider acceptable.

USA Today's conclusion was that, "The potential problems that emerged were widespread, insidious and largely unaddressed."

"Wow," says Philip Landrigan, a physician who heads a unit at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York focused on children's health and the environment. "The mere fact that kids are being exposed ought to be enough to force people to pay attention. The problem here is, by and large, there's no cop on the beat. Nobody's paying attention."

The USA Today study once more demonstrates the risk to human health experienced by communities members living, working and attending school in areas closest to petroleum refineries and chemical plants.

The area in Louisiana with the most schools at risk are located in the area of the Exxon Mobil Refinery, Exxon Mobil Chemical  Plant, Honeywell and Rhodia facilities in Baton Rouge.   

"LEAN has worked with many of these communities since it's inception," Marylee Orr, Executive Director of Louisiana Environmental Action Network, said, "Community members in these areas have long complained of the health impacts associated with operations occurring at these facilities. We have always been concerned about what impact these toxic releases have on the communities located so close to these facilities and we have repeatedly asked DEQ to increase its air monitoring. This (USA Today) report just reinforces our concerns."
As an example of the data that was used by the EPA RSEI model here are two Louisiana schoools with some of the highest levels of toxic chemicals:

WYANDOTTE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
2525 WYANDOTTE STREET
BATON ROUGE, LA

33rd most toxic of 127,800 schools

Chemicals most responsible for the toxicity outside this school

  • Sulfuric acid - 60% of overall toxicity
  • 1,2-Dibromoethane - 7% of overall toxicity
  • Naphthalene - 6% of overall toxicity
  • 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene - 5% of overall toxicity
  • Maleic anhydride - 5% of overall toxicity

Polluters most responsible for toxics outside this school

  • Exxon Mobil Refining & Supply Baton Rouge Refinery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Exxon Mobil Chemical Baton Rouge Chemical Plant, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Rhodia Inc. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Honeywell International Inc. Baton Rouge Plant, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

ISTROUMA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
3730 WINBOURNE AVENUE
BATON ROUGE, LA

164th most toxic of 127,800 schools

Chemicals most responsible for the toxicity outside this school

  • Sulfuric acid 65% of overall toxicity
  • Maleic anhydride 8% of overall toxicity
  • 1,2-Dibromoethane, 5% of overall toxicity
  • Naphthalene 4% of overall toxicity
  • 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene,  3% of overall toxicity

Polluters most responsible for toxics outside this school

  • Exxon Mobil Refining & Supply Baton Rouge Refinery Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Exxon Mobil Chemical Baton Rouge Chemical Plant Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Rhodia Inc. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Honeywell International Inc. Baton Rouge PlantBaton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana Schools at which air samples were taken and a toxic chemical was found at a level of concern:

  • Delmont Elementary, Baton Rouge, LA - Benezene
  • Istrouma High, Baton Rouge, LA - Benezene
  • Chalmette High School, Chalmette, LA - Carbon Tetracloride
  • Our Lady of Prompt Succor School, Chalmette, LA - Benezene
  • Norco Elementary K-3, Norco, LA - Carbon Tetrachloride

Louisiana schools that were ranked the highest  (1st  percentile) based the EPA RSEI model are (listed from highest to lowest):

  • 33 - Wyandotte Early Childhood Center, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 59 - Vision City, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 139 - Community School For Apprenticeship Learning, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 164 - Winbourne Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 164 - Istrouma Senior High School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 293 - Mohican Education Center,  Baton Rouge, LA
  • 293 - North Highlands Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 293 - Prescott Middle School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 314 - Delmont Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 314 - St Gerard Mavella School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 405 - Dalton Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
  • 405 - Belfair Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
* repeated numbers are ties (recieved the same score).
If you are concerned about the air quality near your children's schools or your community; LEAN can provide information to you that is more specific to your community. Click Here to Contact LEAN

 
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