Colorado Springs School District 11 monitoring mercury in gym flooring

Colorado Springs District 11 is looking into a particular type of flooring throughout the school that could have the potential of releasing mercury vapors after wear and tear.

The flooring of concern is rubberized and typically used in school gymnasiums. The appearance of the floor does not have raise concerns, and the district found there are no industry standards or testing requirements for mercury.

Case studies conducted throughout multiple school districts across the country, primarily in Arizona, raised the concerns for officials here in Colorado Springs.

The District has tested the following schools already, which have tested positive for the mercury. Keep in mind that the district says there are still no indications that the flooring is an immediate health concern for students and the environment.

1.) Doherty High School

2.) Sabin Middle School

3.) Russell Middle School

4.) Chipeta Elementary School

5.) Fremont Elementary School

6.) Grant Elementary School

7.) Henry Elementary School

8.) King Elementary School

9.) Rudy Elementary School

While Freedom and McAuliffe Elementary Schools both have rubber gym floors, both were installed in 2008, which is after the dates where the mercury-containing flooring was installed. Meaning, neither schools’ floors contains the mercury.

The District says they are being proactive in protecting the health of their students and staff and have plans to run additional tests as necessary. As part of these testing, a third-party environmental consultant with experience in these types of flooring is expected to come in and evaluate the conditions.

If the results require the District to change the floors, they will be replaced by funding from the 2017 Mill Levy Override or the MLO.

Throughout the process, the District ensures they will be in communication with families and staff at each of the schools listed above.