EPA clears belongings at school caught in mercury discovery

More than 700 bags of student belongings left at Johnson Junior High School following Wednesday’s discovery of mercury on campus have been screened and cleared, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

As of Saturday, 226 families have been called, and 111 bags holding items such as backpacks, shoes and clothing have been picked up, the EPA said in a release sent out by the Clark County School District.

Families can pick up their child’s belongings between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday at the front of the school, located at 7100 Ducharme Ave., near Buffalo and Alta drives.

Families with concerns about additional clothing that may have been in contact with the mercury can bring them in a plastic bag to be assessed at the back of the school during the same time Sunday, the EPA said. Nearly 50 families have brought bags of clothes to the school for screening. Of those, 10 bags were kept for further evaluation. All seven buses that service the school were assessed and cleared.

EPA staff visited eight homes Friday night to determine whether any contamination was brought home prior to the mercury discovery on Wednesday. All eight homes were assessed and cleared. More home visits are being scheduled for this weekend for those students with high levels found on their backpacks and clothing.

The school will continue to be cleaned and cleared. Once a determination has been made regarding classes resuming at the school on Monday, a ParentLink message will be sent to parents.

A representative from the Southern Nevada Health District will be at Johnson Junior High School from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday to answer parents’ questions.

Federal and local officials remain uncertain about who brought the mercury to the school, but police believe it was a student, according to school district police Capt. Ken Young.

The discovery of the substance, which a Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman said consisted of about five to 10 drops, prompted more than 1,000 students and faculty members to be locked down and tested during a scare that lasted more than 16 hours. Nine students and three administrators were initially exposed.