FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 8, 2014
CONTACT: Valerie Martinez, (562) 789-4047, (909) 917-3368

District Re-Opens SIXTH Building at Malibu High When Environmental Testing Shows No PCB Exposure Issues

MALIBU, Calif. – Environmental test results at Malibu High School (MHS) continue to be announced and continue to indicate the school is safe for students and staff.  The District recently re-opened the high school’s Music Building (Thresher Shark/Building F) – the sixth building to re-open on the MHS campus where nine buildings have been identified by the District for air and surface wipe sampling, as well as soil testing on the campus, after parents raised concerns about PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) exposure.

To date, environmental tests conducted over the summer have consistently found that students and staff are not in danger of unhealthy levels of exposure to PCBs, based on EPA’s health-based benchmarks.

This is the eighth building re-opened in Malibu, after two buildings were re-opened at Juan Cabrillo Elementary earlier this week, following test results that show PCB levels that were either non-detectable or below the EPA benchmarks for further action both before and after the cleaning. One room, however, remains closed off to HVAC systems and requires further cleaning as a result of the removal of orchestra risers that caused a disturbance of building materials.

The following buildings have been deemed safe for teachers, staff and students, and have been re-opened. Testing results for each building can be found by clicking the appropriate link/building name.

August 6 — Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, Administration/Classroom Buildings (Building A/B) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/superintendent/UpdatefromSupt080614.pdf>

August 5 — Malibu Middle School, Classroom/Blue Shark Building (Building E) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/superintendent/UpdatefromSupt080314.pdf>

August 4 — Malibu High School, Cafeteria/Auditorium (Building H) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/superintendent/UpdatefromSupt073114.pdf>

July 28 — Malibu High School, Administration (Building B/C) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/UpdatefromSupt072814.pdf>

July 28 — Malibu High School, Library (Building A) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/superintendent/UpdatefromSupt072514.pdf>

July 18 — Malibu High School, Old Gym (Building J) <http://www.smmusd.org/PublicNotices/UpdatefromSupt_071714.pdf>

All air, soil and surface testing are scheduled to be completed before the start of school.  The District will open and occupy classrooms only if the testing results are in line with the protective public health standards set by EPA indicating that the schools/rooms are safe to occupy.  If the results are delayed or outside of acceptable limits set by EPA for any buildings or rooms or limits set by DTSC for outside areas of the campuses, the District is preparing start-of-school contingency plans.

“The health and safety of our students and staff is our first priority,” said Superintendent Sandra Lyon.  “No one will be housed in these buildings until the testing results indicate that it is safe to do so.”