Glen Cove High School has closed its auxiliary gym after tests found its floor leaking mercury vapor at concentrations nearly four times the legal limit.
In an announcement posted on Aug. 1, Glen Cove City School District Superintendent Alexa Doeschner said that they had tested for the toxic element during planning to replace the gym floor at R. M. Finley Middle School.
“We understand that this news may cause concern,” said Doeschner. “Please know we are acting swiftly and responsibly, following all safety guidelines and environmental regulations.”
In 2019, New York’s Environmental Conservation Law was amended to ban mercury-containing flooring in schools.
According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, this type of surface is composed of polyurethane poured or rolled out over a concrete subfloor and then hardened with a mercury-containing catalyst. These floors were installed in many school gyms, cafeterias, and auditoriums between the 1960s and early 2000s.
The 2019 law sets an exposure limit of 750 nanograms per cubic meter of air (ng/m3).
The high school’s auxiliary gym tested at levels of 2,940 ng/m3, almost four times the legal threshold. The middle school gym came in at 330 ng/m3, well below the limit.
The state Department of Health said that high levels of mercury vapor can cause memory loss, headaches and sleeplessness among other symptoms. The toxic element can also affect nervous system development, making it especially dangerous to children.
In the announcement, Doeschner said that the high school auxiliary gym was quickly closed to all students and staff after receiving the test results. All summer programs using the space have been moved outside.
In the short term, she said the district is working to install engineering controls in the gym, such as additional barriers and enhanced ventilation systems.
Although the middle school gym measured below the legal mercury vapor limit, Doeschner said it would still be monitored while a long-term solution was prepared.
The superintendent added that more testing would be conducted in the coming weeks and that a comprehensive plan would come soon after.
