Page 201 - ThePhoenix1995-96

NEWS Thursday, May 9, 1996 - Page 9 Lead paint found in Gill gym SGA Continued from page I ger," Seidel said, "has been re- Seydel, said, "I don't think there Personnel. if cracking or chipping occurs. moved or encapsulated. We've is that much dust to make a differ- Seidel closed saying, "When- NEWS Keyvan stated that children are at done that on a regular basis." ence." ever these things are brought to our a higher risk than adults for con- Seidel added, "Wherever there Dr. Carol Fritz agreed, saying attention we have them inspected tracting lead poisoning from paint is danger something is done." that there hasn't been "any imme- until the situation is evaluated. 1 BRIEFS because they are Closer to the floor However, Seidel also com- diate problems [with lead paint) don't think we should jump to the and have more hand to mouth con- mented that "any danger that might through the winter season." conclusion that there is some kind ~ tact than adults, which may result exist is extremely low, it is not that On Friday, May 3, the school's of major danger. And this is one of in ingesting lead. Efforts by The kind of facility." insurance company came to the those facilities that, given the na- Phoenix to determine whether chil- Students who were asked about college to review certain situations Whenever these dren frequent Gill Gym with any the situation stated that no matter on campus, including Gill Gym. SGA Legislative regularity were unsuccessful. how low the risk, they would still "When people hear of lead things are brought to Officer Election Lead paint builds up in the bod- like the matter to be cleared up. paint they rightfully become con- ies hard tissues such as bone, Dr. "They should close the gym and cerned," Seidel said. "But it is a our attention we Results Keyvan stated. get it fixed," said freshman Sara much greater concern in residen- have them inspected Before interviewing adminis- Gruber, a business major. tial areas, on window sills with tration officials, The Phoenix tested Seidel said students should only young children. Adults playing until the situation is Class of 1997 the gym for lead paint which re- be concerned about paint in resi- basketball when there are chips on evaluated. President vealed clear evidence of lead paint. dencehalls. the floor, we don't think it is much Kevin Lundell Out of six tests performed in Asked about gym employees or danger, but that's why we are hav- Senators-Samatha Dwoskin, Gill, using Lead Zone, which people who clean the facility, Seidel ing it reviewed." Ethan Seidel Ryan John, Mike Welter claims to be "the most sensitive and said, "I am not worried [about em- "We want to find out if they ture of the facility, doesn't lend it- reliable lead paint test kit," all came ployees]." [the insurance company) think it self to much exposure ... But we Class of 1998 back strongly positive with a dark To date, the administration has is necessary to reduce it," Seidel want to be cautious anyway. That President purple color, indicating a "danger- not publicly informed the college said, 'That is why we are bring- is why we have had one company Heather Huffer ous" level oflead in the paint. This community of the situation in Gill. ing in an outside opinion." come out and look at it. They are Senators-Sara Beth Reyburn, test is sensitive to 5 parts per mil- However, one faculty member The insurance company visits going to give us ideas about what Becky Tothero, Jeff Saltz lion of lead. with an office in Gill, Captain Mat- the campus annually to review we can do with it. ..and they are go- The issue of lead paint in Gill thew Burke, assistant professor of situations that arise on campus. ing to come back with some prices was brought up at the March 6 military science, was unaware of "We have that [Gill gym] on the on things." Class of 1999 Safety Committee meeting. In the the situation when contacted by The list of things to be reviewed," WMC President Robert Cham- President minutes of that meeting obtained Phoenix. Seidel said. bers was contacted but was unavail- Aaron Corbett from Michael N. Webster, director ROTC uses the gym "about Upon revision by the insurance able for comment. Senators-Amy Absher, Mary of campus safety, the committee once a week," according to fresh- company, the company says that Other contributors to the article Hoffstetter, Scot Hoover decided that more research should man Private Heather Woods. "there is no perceived danger to were Michelle Hamilton, and be conducted before curtailing us- Another ROTC student, fresh- the public [in Gill Gym]," said Heather Reese. age of the gym. No immediate ac- man Private first class David Thomas G. Steback, Director of tion has been taken to close the L d i th b d gym or curtail its usage. ea In e - 0 y ·WMC student arrested Seidel states that the amount of lead paint in Gill is not at a dan- on drug possession gerous level, despite test results By MICHELLE HAMItTON of a risk for children and people uncovered by The Phoenix. Editor-in-Chief who work, unprotected, in areas Nothing has been done so' far While lead poisoning is nor a that have high levels of paint dust. At least one arrest is pending as to clean up the lead paint. ac- high risk for the general public, if For example, if a person sand- cording to Seidel and Webster. it is contracted by a person a wide blasts an area with lead paint At least one arrest is pending, By SARAH SNELL "We've been talking to a num- range of symptoms can develop, without a respirator, slhe would S/affWriter According to wire reports in the ber of people and the insurance depending of severity, which range develop symptoms in 1-2 days, The investigation of a drug bust April 22 Sun, drug arrests on company is involved. We are look- from no symptoms to death ac- said Dr. Keyvan. It all depends that occurred in Whiteford Hall on American college campuses rose ing at what we need to do and what cording to Dr. EzatoUah Keyvan, on "how much lead [a person is Sunday, April 14 is still underway, for the third consecutive year. we can do to encapsulate it or an Epidemiclogtst and DRPH exposed to) and the period of according to Lieutenant Brewer of The survey released in the scrape it off-the walls. .It's-e long t". (DoCt~fPublic Heath) at the En- time," Keyvan explained. the Westminster Police. Chronicle of Higher Education and drawn out process," said Phil vironment Department of the Dr. Keyvan further explained The investigation is expected to magazine showed a 23% increase Boob, director of buildings and Maryland State Government. that if walls painted with lead last until the middle of May due to in drug arrests from 1993 to 1994. grounds and Safety Committee Lead poisoning is most com- paint "have a base that is in good a wait on lab results. This is lower, however, than member. monly a problem when food is pre- condition [and] there is no chip- An estimate one-eighth of an the 34% increase in 1993 and the The minutes from the March 6 pared in materials that have a lead ping, cracking, breaking, or holes ounce of marijuana was recovered 46% increase in 1992, according Safety Committee meeting state: glaze or when water that was in in the walls" then it does not pose from the room along with various to the survey. "Webster related that present capi- lead pipes is consumed. It is ab- a threat 10 health. This is the case paraphernalia, according to Michael tal budget is inadequate to abate or sorbed into the body through in- in most buildings with lead paint. N. Webster, director of campus Party Ice & Supplies encapsulate the paint, based on ini- halation, injestion, and minor Children are more at risk than safety. tial estimates of Boob." amounts can be taken in through adults for developing lead poison- Because the investigation is not Asked how much it would cost the skin, said Dr. Keyvan. ing from lead paint. "In my ex- complete, little information about it the school to remove the paint from Symptoms of lead poisoning perience with adults, there hasn't could be released. Gill's walls, Seidel responded, "We include flu like symptoms, stom- been a problem. The problems It is known that two students, have had some companies look at ach ache, abdomen pain, muscle we deal with are usually with Michele Jarman and Erin Webb, it. It would be expensive [to fix], cramps, and tingling of hands and children under 6" said Mary Pat were arrested and charged with one that I know; we are still trying to feet. Once lead is absorbed into Reisinger, County Environmental count of possession of a controlled get more estimates." the body, it enters the blood stream Health Department. This is be- and dangerous substance and one The anonymous source said that and goes to soft tissues, like the cause they are "usually on the count of possession of drug para- it would take "three fourths of the liver and heart, and then hard tis- floor and are usually closer to the phernalia, according to Lt. Brewer. [capital] budget to encapsulate the sues like bones. Lead in the blood ground," said Keyvan. Also, they lead paint. Approximately the tu- stays for 10days to two weeks, and have higher absorption rate than ition from two or three students then is excreted. Once lead settles adults and have more hand to could pay for it." This would total in bones, however, it permanent mouth motions that, can result in approximately $60,000-$80,000 to Lead in the blood and bones are a injesting lead paint chips. fix the situation, the source said she threat to pregnant women since the If a person suspects that they was told by a member of the Safety mother shares blood with the fe- have lead poisoning, then slhe Committee. tus. In the bones of pregnant should get a blood lead test. Chil- Seidel commented that in the women it is a problem since they dren under 16 should be tested at past, action has been taken 10 rid need more calcium chan normal annual check ups, said Dr. lead paint from various buildings Lead paint in an area is more Keyvan. around the campus. "The lead paint that exists on campus that is a dan-