Soil tested for pesticide in Hyannis school garden
By Patrick Cassidy, Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
At the other end he pulled out clumps of soil and stuffed them into small glass jars labeled in black marker with "HynWest" and other identifiers.
"This is a very, very precautionary measure," he said.
Bennett, who is president of
Last week, concerns were raised about the 2008 discovery of high levels of chlordane on the other side of the school, found after a 2007 oil spill from a boiler. Chlordane was once widely used as a pesticide but was banned in the U.S. in 1988 and is classified by the
The chlordane level in a catch basin on the property was high enough to prompt notification to the state
A follow-up risk assessment by
The garden's organizer,
LaVallee said she had the existing soil in the area tested at the
Bennett said chlordane is often found even in areas where it was used in accordance with labeling. The important thing is to make sure it doesn't exist at levels that are higher than normal or that could have effects on human health, he said.
"Nobody lives in a perfect world where there is no impact," he said.
Just last week, the state issued revised regulations for areas that have undergone a certain level of cleanup, requiring more stringent testing before gardens can be planted.
On Monday, Bennett collected eight samples from the healthy looking garden, including four from the soil in the raised beds and four from the ground directly beneath the beds.
"This being an area where we didn't take any samples from, we just want to make sure it's the same stuff," he said.
School and town records indicate chlordane was used at Hyannis West in the 1970s to treat for termites, but schools facilities director
There are at least two other gardens at Barnstable schools, including at the
The charter school's outgoing principal,
"We do one every year when we're getting ready to do the garden," she said.
The test was extensive, she said, adding that she believes that if chlordane or any other contaminants of concern are in the soil, the test would have indicated as much.
West Villages Principal
Barnstable Public Schools Superintendent
"To me it's precautionary, and we're taking safety measures and doing our due diligence as well," she said.
Czajkowski and Kanyock said comprehensive soil testing now will take place at all school gardens that are planned in the future as well.
The test results from the samples collected Monday at Hyannis West should be available in about a week, Bennett said.
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