Intervention

Eliminating toxic fumes in Carver Daycare Center

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - After investigators discovered a toxic fume at Carver Daycare Center last month, they have been working to find a solution. Now they have come up with a mitigation plan, and parents are saying they feel relieved.

Kataka Milon's two children and nephew had been going to Carver for more than a year before it shut down last month.

Milon says, "When they told us it was something in the air, I was kind of freaked out about it, thinking how could the state let something this slip under the radar."

High levels of the chemical TCE were discovered after a voluntary testing by the building's former owner, a motor manufacturing company.

TCE is a metal cleaner, and it can cause anything from memory loss to nausea.

A participant in the VRP program has hired a consulting firm that's recommending a mitigation system that would take the fumes coming from the ground, and route them outside.

Amy Hartsock with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) says, "Once they've installed that, they'll do some additional sampling and make sure it is effectively reducing those levels to where they need to be. Then, everyone can be assured that there's not going to be any possibility of exposure for the children that come to the daycare."

Carver Daycare served 112 low-income families at the time it closed. Other daycare's have opened their doors to the children, but families say it's been difficult.

Milon says, "We were all left to scramble to find accurate daycare for kids, which made it hard on us. As a parent, you just don't want to just send your child anywhere."

If the consultant's plan is approved by the state, it calls for at least a seven week installation. The state says they'll be reviewing the plan for the next couple of days before signing off on it.

At this point, we don't have a price tag on the project, but we will keep you updated as soon as we know.

This shows that certain environmental interventions can be helpful. This is an example of how people come together to improve our environment.