More lead paint found inside Libertyville High
Workers once again are removing lead paint found chipping inside Libertyville High School.
The potentially hazardous material was discovered last month on the ceiling of a second-floor girls locker room.
It's the third time in the last 13 months that damaged lead paint was found in the 63-year-old school building.
In March 2019 and again in November, the main gymnasium was temporarily closed after lead paint was found.
The latest discovery occurred in early March during an inspection of the school's locker rooms, said Mary Todoric, spokeswoman for Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128.
The peeling paint was tested, and the presence of lead was confirmed, Todoric said.
The school has been closed to students and staff since March 16 because of the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order.
The removal process began last week and will conclude this week, Todoric said. No other work is being done.
A Chicago firm called High Efficiency Professional Abatement is handling the project, at an estimated $35,900 cost.
Additionally, an Arlington Heights firm called Intertek PSI will assess areas of the school painted before 1980, Todoric said. That will cost $6,965.
Lead is a highly toxic metal that can damage the brain, kidneys, nerves and blood when absorbed into the body, according to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department.
Lead poisoning can cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and death. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach aches, nausea, tiredness and irritability, according to the federal report.
Young children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning because they sometimes eat paint chips or put their hands or other lead-contaminated objects in their mouths.