Lead coated gutters at Cox changed

Please see correspondence below regarding the resolution of this issue, with some cost, from Dr. Forcella.

Kudos to Thatcher and Ted Zuse for bringing this to wider attention and effecting a change-- while lead coated gutters are "standard building materials" and are not specifically banned from school sites they are clearly not a good idea.

The larger issue is that following town approval of a bond referendum for a new roof at Cox last year this was a Standing Building Committee decision, i.e. a town committee and not specifically under the BOE purview. While ultimately the BOE had to vote to approve the overall roof project this was in the context of many issues, a full agenda, and deferral to a decision that had been discussed by SBC with at least nominal health department input.

It speaks to the larger issue that facilities as a whole, specifically educational facilities, are ultimately under the control of the BOS and town committees while the BOE is responsible for maintenance of buildings and safety of the children -- certainly a contributor to the fact that school infrastructure over the past several decades has suffered.

I am not sure what the answer to this is but it certainly speaks to the need for greater communication between the BOS, committees, BOE, and the superintendant.

Interested to hear thoughts on this--

************

To: BOE Members
From: Tom Forcella
Re: LCC Gutters

I just received notice from Doug Baldwin that the change from LCC gutters to "freedom grey" zinc coated will be made at Cox. The LCC gutters were on site and a change order was needed. The cost is approximately $33,000 additional and there may be some delay as the gutters are installed first.

Beckett, Kim wrote:
> [Attachment(s) <#TopText> from Beckett, Kim included below]
>
> Dear Guilford PTA Members and other concerned parents:
>
> Thatcher Zuse contacted me this week to express his concern about
> questionable building products being used on the roof replacement
> project at Cox Elementary School. The products are “lead coated copper
> gutters and flashing,” and I want to share his letter with you. In it,
> he describes his findings and includes an e-mail from Guilford’s
> Department of Public Health to Cliff Gurnham, director of facilities
> for GPS, who recommends that this product not be used due to
> possibility of “leaching potential for lead due to acid rain.”
>
> Tonight I spoke to an architect I know, who provided further
> information written in red below Thatcher’s e-mail. What are your
> thoughts? If this concerns you as much as it concerns me, perhaps a
> group of us can join Thatcher as he presents information at the July 2
> (that’s this Thursday) Standing Building Committee and/or the July 15
> Board of Education meeting.
>
> * *
>
> Dear Friends and Cox school parents,
>
> My wife and I watched the end of the most recent Board of Education
> meeting. We were surprised to see the vote to install lead coated
> copper gutters and flashing as part of the roof replacement project
> this summer at Cox Elementary School. We were both concerned the
> effects lead toxicity has on young children.
>
> In an attempt to provide as much information before blindly sounding
> an alarm, I contacted roofers, roofing suppliers, Dennis Johnson,
> Director of Public Health in Guilford, Architects, and the Boston
> Public Health Commission.
>
> As most of you already know, lead is a neurotoxin and can affect both
> cognitive and neurological development in young children. It is also
> linked with liver and kidney disease, attention span disorders in
> children, and other learning disabilities.
>
> Lead Coated Copper presents an interesting problem in that it is not
> covered under laws set to regulate lead paint by the Department of
> Environmental Protection and other regulatory bodies. Indeed, board of
> education members voting in favor of the use of lead coated copper at
> the last meeting correctly stated that it is an "approved building
> material." An Architect and roofer I spoke with both commented that
> there is no conclusive evidence that lead coated copper gutters are
> harmful.
>
> From a legal standpoint, this may be true, however in the case of lead
> and young children, I believe the burden of proof is not on the
> children and parents. In gathering information, one of my first stops
> was the Guilford Department of Public Health to ask Dennis Johnson,
> Director, for information and his opinion. In an email dated 05/19/09
> he writes to Cliff Gurnham, director of facilities for Guilford Public
> Schools,
>
> "After contacting several State Health Department employees in the
> lead poisoning, toxic hazards and school health sections I could not
> find a regulation, law or prohibition against the use of lead coated
> copper rain gutters on school buildings. Most of my contacts expressed
> concern that it was not a good idea to use lead on any building
> materials around an elementary school due to the leaching potential
> for lead from acid rain." (A copy of the email is attached.) He also
> mentioned that he called the architect to ask if there was another
> material that could be used, but said the architect was intent on
> using lead coated copper.
>
> The city of Boston recently banned the use of lead coated copper on
> municipal buildings after a young child became sick in a newer
> condominium complex where lead coated copper was installed on the
> roof, gutters and a patio wall. In this case there was a control for
> lead paint because the building was newer and no lead paint was
> present. (Please see attached article.) As a result of this case, a
> Public Health Advisory was issued, the manufacturer removed LCC from
> the market, and city policy was developed to restrict the use of LCC
> on city-owned buildings.
>
> While arguments can still be made about the affects of lead coated
> copper, I think it is poor judgement to install it in an elementary
> school. The affects of lead in young children is undisputed and there
> is more than sufficient evidence that lead coated copper can oxidize
> into dust where exposed to acid rain in areas such as the Northeast.
>
> Although both the Standing Building Committee and the Board of
> Education have already voted to approve the use of lead coated copper
> gutters, I will be presenting this information at both the July 2nd
> meeting of the Standing Building Committee and the Board of Education
> meeting on July 15th. In an email conversation with Mary Beeman of the
> Board of Education today, she indicated that the standing building
> committee may be doing some soil testing for evidence of lead. While
> those tests will have important information, I can't understand why we
> would choose to invite a potential legal or health problem in the future.
>
> Please contact me if you have additional information to provide or
> would be willing to attend either of these meetings. I have attached a
> pdf file which contains the following:
>
> Email from Dennis Johnson, Director of Health to Cliff Gurnham.
>
> Standing Building Committee meeting notes from 06/02/09.
>
> Email returned from Thomas Plant, Director of Special Projects, Boston
> Public Health Commission.
>
> Health Advisory, Boston Public Health Commission
>
> *Thatcher Zuse*
>
> *Thatcher@zuse.us *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> Kim,
>
> I did some research on the possibility of toxicity of lead and
> lead-coated architectural materials (including roofing, flashing,
> gutters, etc). Surprisingly, there are not many studies on this, given
> the history of lead poisoning due to lead-based paints. However, the
> basic material is understood and I would not recommend any suspicious
> material in or near an environment where children spend their days.
>
> Here is an excerpt from a book on the architectural uses of metals. I
> have included the link to this book below.
>
> Architectural Metals, by L. William Zahner
>
> Copyright 1995
>
> Lead is considered to be a hazardous and toxic material. Lead
> toxicity, however, requires consumption. A person has to absorb lead
> into the blood system by oral ingestion or by inhaling large
> quantities of lead oxides or other lead salts. Lead is an accumulative
> poison. It stays in the blood system for a period of time,
> accumulating to levels that have a toxic effect on the body. The
> effects of lead poisoning are reversible, and complete recovery is
> possible. However, large doses can cause seizures, coma, and death.
>
> Lead should not be used in or around food preparation areas. It should
> not be used where children can come in contact with the metal or the
> metal salts. Children are particularly susceptible because of the way
> lead toxicity inhibits brain development. Lead paints are the main
> hazard. If lead is used on walls of homes or on children's toys, the
> paint and paint dust can contaminate areas occupied by children.
>
> Another potential hazard is lead oxide runoff from lead-coated roofing
> and paneling. There has, to date, been no formal testing of the amount
> of runoff generated from lead and lead-coated roofing products.
> However, tests performed by running water over small samples showed
> significant amounts of lead contamination in the collected water. The
> levels of lead coming from the metal surface were initially very high,
> but after exposure for a short duration, the runoff levels were
> reduced significantly.
>
> When working with lead, wear protective clothing. Do not sand or cause
> the lead surface to disintegrate into dust that might be inhaled. Do
> not smoke cigarettes or eat food while working with lead or
> lead-coated materials. Doing either may allow some of the metal to be
> consumed. Thoroughly wash hands and clothing after working with lead,
> and before breaking for lunch or the occasional cigarette.
>
> When soldering lead, work in well-ventilated areas. The Occupational
> Safety and Health Administration of the United States (OSHA) requires
> air sampling for some applications where soldering takes place. Check
> all current regulations for handling and disposal of lead and lead
> products.
>
> Link:
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=57jzHvkZrCQC&pg=PA264&lpg=PA264&dq=he
> alth+concerns+lead+roofing&source=bl&ots=ishXH9DM4M&sig=baZoBLs38eNZpJ
> 7Sun3YITtv0e8&hl=en&ei=Ca9KStr1B42cMP3B8LQC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=res
> ult&resnum=8
> ealth+concerns+lead+roofing&source=bl&ots=ishXH9DM4M&sig=baZoBLs38eNZp
> J7Sun3YITtv0e8&hl=en&ei=Ca9KStr1B42cMP3B8LQC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=re
> sult&resnum=8>
>
> Karin Patriquin, AIA
>
> 4 Greenwood Lane, Guilford, 06437
>
> (203) 458-7778
>
> Collaborative Studio
>
> 254 Crown Street, New Haven, 06512
>
> http://www.karinpatriquin.com
>
> * *