Customer Service

 Customer Survey

LABConnect™ - Online Results & More

Radiological Testing Services

Category Press Release
Publish Date 7/30/2019
Author Paul Cochrane
Title Radioactive Contamination Concerns Cause Temporary Closure of Middle School
Introduction EMSL Analytical provides radiological testing services to determine the radioactive content of materials to help safeguard communities, workers and the environment.

Indianapolis, IN,  July 30th , 2019

In May of this year, the President of one of Ohio’s local boards of education published an open letter to faculty, students, parents and the local community regarding radiological contaminants detected inside of one of the district’s middle schools and outside of another one. Enriched uranium and Neptunium 237 were specifically mentioned in the letter.

The contamination might be coming from the nearby Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant that is being decommissioned by the Department of Energy (DOE) according to multiple media reports. The DOE states that the facility operated from 1954 to 2001 and occupies about 1,200 acres of the 3,777-acre federally-owned Portsmouth Site. The plant was one of three large gaseous diffusion plants in the country initially constructed to produce enriched uranium to support the nation’s nuclear weapons program and, in later years, enriched uranium used by commercial nuclear reactors. After the Cold War, weapons-grade uranium enrichment was suspended and production facilities were leased to the private sector. In 2001, enrichment operations were discontinued at the site. Decontamination and decommissioning of the plant commenced in 2011 and is ongoing.

“The open letter from the school district reports that the middle school where contamination was detected indoors has been closed until the source, extent, level of contamination, and potential impacts to public health and the environment can be determined,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Anytime dust and debris from a site with radioactive materials is disturbed it could result in this type of scenario if safety precautions in place are not effective. Wind alone can allow fine materials to travel a considerable distance, creating health and safety concerns for people living, working or going to school in nearby areas.”

EMSL’s radiological laboratory has analyzed everything from soil and water to food, vegetation and other unique sample matrices. The laboratory possesses a liberal radioactive materials license able to handle most environmental radioactive needs and offers a wide array of analytical equipment. These include Protean 9604 Gas Flow Proportional Counters, Germanium Gamma Spectroscopy Detectors, Perkin Elmer Liquid Scintillation Counters, Alpha Spectroscopy Detectors and other advanced instruments.

EMSL is now accredited by A2LA under the Department of Energy Consolidated Audit Program (DOECAP) as detailed in version 5.3 of the DoD Quality System Manual for Environmental Laboratories (QSM), with fields of testing ranging from radiological testing services to full environmental testing capabilities. To learn more about this or other radiological, industrial hygiene or environmental testing services, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com.


About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with over 45 locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.
Atlanta, GA (LAB 07) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-1Baton Rouge, LA (LAB 25) - NVLAP Lab Code 200375-0Beltsville, MD (LAB 19) - NVLAP Lab Code 200293-0Boston, MA (LAB 13) - NVLAP Lab Code 101147-0Buffalo, NY (LAB 14) - NVLAP Lab Code 200056-0Carle Place, NY (LAB 06) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-10Charlotte, NC (LAB 41) - NVLAP Lab Code 200841-0Chicago, IL (LAB 26) - NVLAP Lab Code 200399-0Cinnaminson, NJ (LAB List in Description) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-0Dallas, TX (LAB 11) - NVLAP Lab Code 600111-0Denver, CO (LAB 22) - NVLAP Lab Code 200828-0EMSL Canada - Calgary, AB (LAB 65) - NVLAP Lab Code 500100-0EMSL Canada - Edmonton, AB (LAB 50) - NVLAP Lab Code 600321-0EMSL Canada - Markham, ON (LAB 66) - NVLAP Lab Code 600317-0EMSL Canada - Montreal, QC (LAB 68) - NVLAP Lab Code 201052-0EMSL Canada - Ottawa, ON (LAB 67) - NVLAP Lab Code 201040-0EMSL Canada - Toronto, ON (LAB 55) - NVLAP Lab Code 200877-0EMSL Canada - Vancouver, BC (LAB 69) - NVLAP Lab Code 201068-0Fort Lauderdale, FL (LAB 56) - NVLAP Lab Code 500085-0Houston, TX (LAB 15) - NVLAP Lab Code 102106-0Huntington Beach, CA (LAB 33) - NVLAP Lab Code 101384-0Indianapolis, IN (LAB 16) - NVLAP Lab Code 200188-0Kernersville, NC (LAB 02) - NVLAP Lab Code 102104-0Long Island City, NY (LAB 03) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-9Meriden, CT (LAB 24) - NVLAP Lab Code 200700-0Miami, FL (LAB 17) - NVLAP Lab Code 200204-0Minneapolis, MN (LAB 35) - NVLAP Lab Code 200019-0Ontario, California (San Bernadino County / Inland Empire) (LAB 71) - NVLAP Lab Code 600239-0Orlando, FL (LAB 34) - NVLAP Lab Code 101151-0Phoenix, AZ (LAB 12) - NVLAP Lab Code 200811-0Piscataway, NJ (LAB 05) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-2Plymouth Meeting, PA (LAB 18) - NVLAP Lab Code 200699-0Raleigh, NC (LAB 29) - NVLAP Lab Code 200671-0Rochester, NY (LAB 53) - NVLAP Lab Code 600183-0San Diego, CA (LAB 43) - NVLAP Lab Code 200855-0San Leandro, CA (LAB 09) - NVLAP Lab Code 101048-3Santa Clara, CA (LAB 47) - NVLAP Lab Code 600318-0Seattle, WA (LAB 51) - NVLAP Lab Code 200613-0South Pasadena, CA (LAB 32) - NVLAP Lab Code 200232-0South Portland, ME (LAB 62) - NVLAP Lab Code 500094-0St. Louis, MO (LAB 39) - NVLAP Lab Code 200742-0Tampa, FL (LAB 93) - NVLAP Lab Code 600215-0
Sorry, this function is disabled.