Mercury Found In Gym Floors In Three Parsippany Schools

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Mercury has been found in the rubber gym floors in three Parsippany Troy-Hills schools, including an elementary school, district officials say. The school district says the airborne levels tested below the legal safety limits, but parents are still concerned.

Rubber floors in Parsippany High School, Central Middle School, and Littleton Elementary school tested positive for mercury in the floor and as vapors in the air. Mercury is commonly used in the manufacturing process of rubberized floors to help keep them flexible.

School officials said all three gyms tested below safety levels set by the CDC, the Minnesota Department of health and the NJ OSHA law, and that they are safe with ventilation.

School officials declined to comment for this article.

In a Q&A posted to the district's website, officials said they plan on keeping the flooring in place through the school year and replacement "will be carefully reviewed as part of the 2018-19 School Budget preparation.

Parents say that's not fast enough.

"The gym in our school is very important for the students, teachers, staff, parents and the members of the community. It is used not only for Physical Education, sports and games but also as the venue for SKIP and several other programs organized by the PTA and the community. We need to ensure that we eliminate any chance of children being harmed just by participating in any of such events," a group called Parents of Littleton Elementary School students wrote in a Change.org petition.

The petition, which has 148 signatures, wants to see the gym floors replaced "immediately."

"It is shocking that our children will continue to be exposed to what is now considered Hazmat," Nina Sengupta told Patch.

The parents say there are limits to the sampling methods used and even acceptable limits of mercury could be too much for children with weak immune systems.

Superintendent Barbara Sargent said in letters sent home to parents that the school was ventilating the areas and was working with the township health officer and school physician to ensure student safety.

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