EPA to Screen Spanish Village Homes for Radiation in Bridgeton, Mo. | WPN World People News

EPA is conducting a radiation screening at a limited number of homes in Bridgeton’s Spanish Village neighborhood beginning on December 27. The screening is part of a focused response to address concerns raised in a recently filed lawsuit that alleges potential radioactive contamination in a Spanish Village home.

“As a public health agency, we take these allegations seriously,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Mark Hague. “We have developed a sampling plan and are working quickly to implement it.”

As a part of the investigation, the agency will screen areas within and around the selected homes for alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. EPA is planning to test a limited number of homes in the immediate vicinity of the residence identified in the lawsuit.

In addition to radiation screening for potentially elevated readings, EPA will also take exterior soil samples and interior surface and dust samples. The agency will send samples to a certified laboratory to test for the presence of various radionuclides, including Thorium-230.

The data collected during this screening will help EPA determine if elevated levels of radionuclides are present beyond what is naturally occurring, and if further investigation and response by EPA may be warranted.

Once the agency has had a chance to review the data and prepare a report, we will provide the data from this investigation to the individual homeowners and notify the public of any future actions.

EPA coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in developing this sampling plan.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency