KANSAS CITY – No radioactive contamination has been found in new testing conducted at Jana Elementary School in eastern Missouri, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The school, near St. Louis, was closed in October shortly after a report from a private company found elevated levels of radioactive materials around the school, most likely coming from the nearby Coldwater Creek, which contains radioactive material from the Manhattan Project.
The private study was funded by lawyers whose clients are suing over contamination in the creek, according to the Associated Press.
The Corps of Engineers reports its recent testing was conducted inside and around the school, with soil samples taken from 53 different locations, with procedures that followed “industry-wide standards.”
“From a radiological standpoint, the school is safe,” Colonel Kevin Golinghorst, St. Louis District commander said. “We owe it to the public and the parents and children of Jana Elementary School to make informed decisions focused on the safety of the community, and we will continue to take effective actions using accurate data.”
After the initial report of high levels of radioactive materials, the Hazelwood school district sent students and staff home for virtual learning and closed the school. It said they would all be reassigned at different schools after the holidays.
There will be a community meeting on Nov. 16 for residents to learn more more about this new report and its findings.