District officials say tests done earlier this month found almost no trace of organochlorine pesticides in two piles of soil removed from Kelly Elementary School. The tests, they say, showed safe levels of 17 different elements including lead, arsenic and mercury.
Officials say the latest results confirm tests in June, which also found that the soil was contaminant free. But residents say the June tests were not conducted on actual soil but imported sand at the school. Some residents were heartened by the latest test results but others said they fell short because they did not sample core soil at various locations at the school.
Superintendent John Roach did not return calls seeking comment. But in a press release he said "receiving a clean bill of health from multiple soil testings confirms our belief that our school environments are safe."
