Rosengårdskolen closes building after elevated PCB levels found

Rosengårdskolen, a public school in Odense, has partially closed after an air measurement found elevated levels of the toxic substance PCB, DR reports.

The measurement was carried out by Odense’s City and Culture Administration. PCB was previously used in paint and building materials but is now banned.

School principal Søren Hansen wrote to parents that PCB had been detected in several school buildings. Teaching can continue in some rooms while they are repaired, but Block A must be renovated immediately and has therefore been closed.

Students in grades one to three will meet in the foyer, where staff will organise an alternative school day. They have been asked to bring clothes and shoes suitable for changing weather because they are likely to spend more time outdoors than usual. No one is allowed to enter Block A.

The City and Culture Administration is preparing a renovation plan. The school said it would continue to focus on providing a good school day and would follow the Danish Health Authority’s guidelines for staff and children.

PCB is short for polychlorinated biphenyls. The environmental toxin was used in building materials such as sealants and insulating glass units from 1950 to 1977.