Results received by the Rochester City School District today of testing done on soil from the football practice field on the Edison Educational Campus, 655 Colfax Street, show that the soil poses no health hazard.

          “The health of our students was foremost in our minds, and the results show that the soil does not pose a health hazard,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. William C. Cala.

The test was conducted by an independent environmental laboratory certified by the New York State Department of Health. The soil was tested for five criteria: volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, PCBs, and pesticides.

Earlier this month, school staff noticed small pieces of glass on the surface of the football practice field. The District immediately addressed this by doing a thorough sweep of the field and removing the pieces of glass. However, after a heavy rain several days later, the problem occurred again. Football practices were relocated to another field.

“Because the Edison fields were built on the site of a former landfill, we had the soil tested to determine whether material from the landfill is resurfacing, and the results show that it is not,” Cala said.

“We are continuing to investigate the presence of glass in the surface soil and are working with the City of Rochester and the Monroe County Department of Health to resolve the problem in accordance with New York State Environmental Conservation standards. Athletic activities will continue to be held on the campus’s other two fields until the problem is resolved.”