Middle & Highschool Built on Chemical Waste Dump

Ohio’s River Valley Middle and High Schools were built in the 1960’s on the site of a former military complex (and POW camp during WWII). The now abandoned buildings sit right on the spot where chemical waste was dumped for years. Both schools were closed in 2003 due to high rates of Leukemia cases among former students who attended these schools. An investigation of the contamination and school leukemia cases began in 1997 (see article below). It sounds like a I bad location to build a school, doesn’t it?

The schools still stand and can be viewed from the road. Concrete barriers with “No Trespassing” signs have been placed to block all of the entrances. The grounds are now used to store mulch.  I drove past recently and saw the huge stacks of mulch. I’m wondering if that is a good idea. According to some reports as many as 75 different chemicals were found at hazardous levels around the school including arsenic. You know, I’m not even sure it would be safe to store mulch there. Who would want to buy it? Unless you were planning on mulching for someone you really disliked. “Oh, yes. I’ll help you mulch. I know just the place to buy it. . .”

_______________ Related Articles________________

Clean-up of the controversial site: http://www.ohiocitizen.org/campaigns/marion/marion.html

River Valley Middle and High School Pictures and article

River Valley Schools’ Cancer Scare: http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1622