Kennedy High in Richmond cleared to reopen after testing finds no toxic vapors

RICHMOND, Calif. - Kennedy High School and the neighboring Richmond Swim Center will reopen on Tuesday following extensive environmental testing that found no evidence of toxic vapor intrusion on campus.

School, swim center will reopen

What we know:

The West Contra Costa Unified School District, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the city of Richmond held their second town hall meeting in two weeks on Thursday to present the findings to the community.

The campus and swim center had been closed after construction crews discovered underground toxic vapor from PCE, an Environmental Protection Agency-banned dry cleaning and grease-cutting chemical. Long-term exposure to the chemical can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, immune system, and central nervous system, as well as memory loss, mood changes, and altered vision.

To ensure impartiality and transparency, an independent third party was selected to perform the environmental testing.

"Our scientists and medical experts have let us know there is no evidence of vapor intrusion at Kennedy High School and there is no evidence of immediate and long-term health concerns from PCE," said West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Cheryl Cotton.

Dr. Gina Solomon, chief of Occupational, Environmental and Climate Medicine at UCSF, supported the findings.

"If I were a parent of a Kennedy High School teen, I would feel totally comfortable sending my child to that school and if I were a teacher or a staff member working in there, I would feel very comfortable going to work," Solomon said.

Metal shop, kitchen closed

Dig deeper:

While the main campus will open Tuesday, the school's metal shop and kitchen will remain closed for further testing. Officials noted that trace levels detected in those specific areas were far below what is deemed completely safe in a family home.

"This is not the end of our partnership," said Liz Sanders, assistant superintendent of communications for the school district. "They are committed to meet with us and we are committed to continuing to work with them so that we monitor this issue."

Sanders expressed immense relief over the test results. "Knowing that there is no evidence of vapor intrusion at all, we are really relieved to know that we can welcome our Kennedy Eagles back to campus."

Neighbors living near the school also voiced concerns regarding potential ground contamination spreading into the neighborhood.

What they're saying:

"For us community members who live in the surrounding area of the community, we want to make sure it's safe," said Marie Anyiam, who lives across the street. "I know it's not just a district problem."

Addressing concerns about environmental cleanup and potential soil or groundwater leaching, state regulators confirmed nearby homes show no signs of contamination.

"There's no indication that there's been vapor intrusion into the homes," said Mandi Bane of the Department of Toxic Substances Control. "I understand the concern but we have no evidence of it but we are gonna do further work on it."