Mercury vapor from flooring is an alarm for all

The fact that three Long Island school districts have discovered mercury vapor emanating from synthetic flooring in some buildings should be an alarm — alerting other districts to investigate their facilities, and for state officials to set appropriate exposure limits.

Mercury is highly toxic. It affects the nervous system and the brain, especially in children. In a pregnant woman, it can be transmitted to a fetus. Since it is heavier than air, mercury vapor tends to settle near the floor, and accumulates in rooms with no air conditioning or other ventilation. All of that is troubling since this kind of rubberized flooring, installed from the 1960s to the 1990s, was typically put in gymnasiums.

Long Island isn’t alone in confronting this problem. Mercury vapor from synthetic floors has been found in schools in New Jersey, Minnesota, Colorado, South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Arizona. Generally, levels of mercury vapor in those states and in schools in Amityville, Merrick and Miller Place have been below exposure guidelines. But that only reveals another problem — the patchwork of standards set by different arms of the federal government and various states.

New York must set a limit for schools that works for kids, who are more vulnerable, and for teachers, whose exposure is greater. Legislation from State Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) would set the number at 0.75 micrograms per cubic meter, the same standard used in Minnesota for yearlong exposure for gym teachers and students. It’s a good starting point for discussion and hearings. State officials also should offer practical guidance to districts dealing with mercury vapor, including advice to check whether concrete underneath the synthetic flooring is saturated with mercury.

Mercury is a risk our kids cannot afford to take. — The editorial board