Congresswoman Bush Statement on Report Indicating Radioactive Waste at Elementary School
After launching investigations and introducing legislation, Congresswoman Bush is joining parents to demand immediate cleanup
St. Louis, October 17, 2022 - Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following statement after an independent toxicology report found the presence of radioactive bomb waste on and under the grounds of Jana Elementary School in Hazelwood, MO. The study, carried out by Boston Chemical Data Corporation, found unsafe levels of dangerous materials throughout the school and playground. The Army Corps of Engineers has found unsafe levels along Coldwater Creek adjacent to the school as well.
“I am devastated to learn that radioactive bomb waste has been found in and around Jana Elementary in Hazelwood. These are dangerous chemicals in the classrooms where our children learn, on the playground where our children play, and in the cafeteria where our children eat—and it’s an emergency that requires an urgent response. The federal government is responsible for this waste, and we need answers from them on their plan to immediately begin cleanup of Jana Elementary and the surrounding areas so our kids’ health and education is not further disrupted by the presence of toxic chemicals. Inaction is not an option. The safety of our children and our communities must come first.”
Coldwater Creek is a local creek that runs through St. Louis. During the Second World War, Coldwater Creek passed near prominent sites for the development of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project, with nearby areas eventually becoming a dumping ground for leftover radioactive waste. Decades later, those same toxic contaminants can still be found in the Creek. Currently, there is no public signage in place along the Creek’s shore warning of the dangers the Creek’s potentially radioactive areas pose to community health and safety, despite requests from county officials dating back to the mid-1990s. In May, Congresswoman Bush introduced the Coldwater Creek Signage Act, legislation that would require signage about the dangers of toxic contaminants found in the creek.
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