Hazardous chemicals: EPA tests show air at Integrated Arts Academy in Burlington is safe

Jess Aloe | Burlington Free Press

The air at Integrated Arts Academy is safe for students and teachers to breathe, state officials said Wednesday, despite trace amounts of chemical contamination.

Environmental investigators found very low levels of perchloroethylene, known as PCE, in the indoor air on the first floor and in the basement of the school in Burlington's Old North End. The detected levels are well under the amount set by the Vermont Department of Health as presenting a health risk.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation began testing the school's air earlier this month for PCE and another contaminant, trichloroethylene. The tests were triggered when a person buying a home on Elmwood Avenue did an indoor air sample that indicated contamination.

The EPA prioritized the tests at the school. The investigation into the extent of contamination throughout the neighborhood is still ongoing.

Both chemicals were once commonly used by dry cleaners as solvents, and have been associated with a risk of cancer.

No trichlorothylene was found in the school. PCE was found in the soil gas: The little pockets of air below ground, opening the possibility that the vapors could rise up into buildings. The samples were taken from 14 spots around school property.

More: Hazardous chemicals: What you need to know about the Old North End EPA investigation

More: EPA investigating hazardous chemicals near Old North End elementary school

The EPA has asked to do two more rounds of tests, said Russ Elek, a spokesman for the district. Investigators are working with school officials to plan a round of sampling after students return and another during winter.

Elek said school officials are working to accommodate the EPA's request during non-school hours.

School begins on Aug. 29.

Contact Jess Aloe at 802-660-1874 or jaloe@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @jess_aloe