FLORISSANT, Mo. – A new report released Tuesday by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, like two others published in recent months, deems Jana Elementary School as “safe” amid prolonged concerns over radioactive waste.
The USACE St. Louis District released the last of three anticipated reports on sampling and testing for radioactive waste at the north St. Louis County school.
The report released Tuesday focused on soil around the school. The latest findings indicate that the soil outside the current remediation area is safe for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure.
Crews collected more than 500 soil samples with more than 4,500 analytical results. USACE says these were collected from 57 systematic and 21 biased locations to meet requirements for the report.
“Like the first two reports released April 25 and May 9, this report also builds upon the preliminary results we shared with the community last November. It provides additional data from our health physics surveys and sampling that confirms there are no areas of radiological concern in or around the school,” said Phil Moser, St. Louis District program manager for FUSRAP. “Our efforts to provide real results to the community continue. We are currently in the process of removing the actual contamination in the Coldwater Creek creekbank which we anticipate completing this fall, to be followed by a separate post remediation report.”
USACE plans to hold a public meeting on June 8 to discuss findings from all three reports. The other reports focused on lead sampling and surfaces within the school.
Environmental investigation consultants pointed out radioactive contamination at the school last year. Jana Elementary opened in 1970 and sits in the flood plain of Coldwater Creek, which was contaminated with radioactive waste generated from the production of atomic weapons in the 1940s and 50s.
Concerns about contamination resurfaced and gained national attention last October, months after historic flash flooding slammed the St. Louis region. Jana Elementary closed down. Students have since moved to other buildings within the Hazelwood School District. Missouri U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and Sen. Josh Hawley have both introduced legislation claiming for more action to combat concerns.