NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Students and staff at Cataract Elementary School are facing their second day of school, under an air of uncertainty about whether a cancer-causing chemical is present in the air at the school, potentially coming from the nearby Goodyear plant.
The 7 News I-Team is learning, the Niagara Falls school superintendent is planning another environmental test to assess air quality within the next two months.
WATCH: Laurrie says he'd never put students in harms way
Superintendent Mark Laurrie promised this additional testing over the summer, after the district's initial testing did not find any of the cancer-causing chemical — called ortho-toluidine — in the air. Experts say the chemical is coming from the Goodyear plant on the other side of Interstate 190.
That study's findings put Laurrie at ease and explains this next round is to reaffirm what was found in the first test.
"Our conversations with the DEC and the Department of Health are also paramount to what we're doing. We would never put students in harm's way. We're concerned about our neighbors and friends in this area and we will stay on top of it," Laurrie said.
However, an independent expert says there were major flaws with that initial study and that there is, in fact, a chemical plume over the school.
The expert is concerned about the children at Cataract Elementary School, explaining anything that is in the plume over the school is coming to the ground and kids could absorb this through their skin.
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