Traces of Mercury Found in Keizer School Gymnasiums

Vapors from mercury can be harmful, that's why school officials in Salem have closed the gym at Cummings Elementary School

(Salem) - A Keizer elementary school gym has been closed after officials found unsafe traces of mercury emitting from the flooring. Synthetic gym floors installed in schools in the 1970s could be releasing air-borne mercury. Over exposure to this substance has been reported to cause health issues, particularly with pregnant women or women who become pregnant soon after contact.

Twenty elementary schools with synthetic gym floors were recently tested for air-borne mercury. Eight of these schools had detectable levels.

They were:

• Auburn
• Cummings
• Wright
• Gubser
• Four Corners
• Englewood
• Myers
• Swegle

"At Cummings, access to the gym has been restricted and we will be doing more tests. At the other seven schools, the gyms will continue to be used for P.E. classes."

He says some steps are being taken to limit use, "they are are moving before-school and after-school programs to limit their gym time. We will continue testing to ensure that levels are acceptable for normal gym use. If levels exceed the recommended limit, we will restrict access."

Twenty schools in the district have the type of synthetic gym floors that needed to be tested. Remy says Risk Management staff and an air-quality consultant conducted the air testing at all twenty sites, identifying the eight schools that had detectable levels.

"We will be doing ongoing testing and working with state and federal health/environmental authorities. Long-term solutions, such as replacement of these floors, are being investigated."

The school floors that may be emitting mercury may have been manufactured by have 3M, they are called tartan-type synthethic floors.

No middle and high schools in the district have these type of floors.