As part of the next phase of the MISA building project, and prior to the demolition of the old auditorium, remediation is required to remove caulking materials that contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs.)
The following Public Notice was released by the District on Wednesday:
The next phase of the Music Instructional Space and Auditorium (MISA) project is underway. The old GHS auditorium, built in 1970 and remodeled in 1999, is scheduled for demolition and reconstruction as instructional space for music education.
As part of the project, surveys were conducted in order to identify environmental risks and plan for safe remediation.
As is often found in facilities built between 1950 and 1979, the pre-demolition surveys revealed regulated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) within the exterior caulking. The caulk is intact and poses no risk to students or staff in its current form. Because it is a regulated material, it must be removed and discarded in compliance with EPA and CT DEEP regulation.
The PCB caulking and adjacent building materials in the auditorium will be removed in accordance with detailed PCB Removal Specifications written by Hygenix Inc. pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 40 CFR § 761.62(a) and the Connecticut General Statutes, Section 22a-467.
The Specifications identify the location of the PCB-containing materials, describe in detail the removal and disposal methods, and list the independent third party testing to ensure that all PCB caulking has been safely removed.
The PCB remediation project will begin this week, and be completed by October 31, 2015.
The remediation work will be performed by Standard Abatement Services Inc./ Standard Demolition Inc., and monitored continuously by a representative from Hygenix Inc. The auditorium building is slated for demolition immediately after the PCB remediation work has been completed.
Additional information about PCBs in caulking and other building materials is available at the US EPA website, http://www.epa.gov/pcbsincaulk/.