ICYMI: Mercury Investigation At Northport MS In 'Early Stages'

NORTHPORT, NY — The Northport community is watching as Northport Middle School is being tested for mercury contamination.

Some parents have staged multiple "Sick Out" rallies, keeping their children home from school, while Robert L. Banzer, superintendent of schools, told parents that results of a test conducted by environmental firm PW Grosser Consulting didn't turn up any detectable levels of mercury vapor in certain classrooms. Paul Boyce, president of PWGC, told Patch the environmental firm is in the "early stages" of an investigation after elevated levels of mercury were found in a cesspool outside the school 10 feet from the building.

Boyce said the test that yielded negative results of mercury air vapor in the three classrooms, science prep room and hallway were not "completely exhaustive," and that PWGC did not sample air in every square inch of the building.

The follow-up testing comes after a mercury level of 632 ppm was found in the cesspool outside the school, more than 170-times the actionable level of 3.7 ppm. Boyce confirmed the numbers and said the company immediately screened the classrooms hooked up to the cesspool once it heard about the high mercury levels in the leaching pool. The sinks in the three classrooms discharge to the cesspool.

Boyce said PWGC "absolutely" plans to do more comprehensive testing at Northport Middle School and started taking samples on Saturday. Lab results are expected sometime next week.

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