Over the past month we have moved in a rapid and comprehensive way to determine whether any school fields and park areas in Fairfield may be contaminated by material from the fill pile that was inappropriately used at these sites.

Much work still needs to be done, but we have already received the results of soil testing of 19 of the priority sites we announced last month. Of these, 9 showed no levels of contaminants above the Residential Direct Exposure Criteria (RES DEC), and 10 showed levels above the RES DEC, but only marginally so, and all are well below the levels environmental health experts would consider to be of serious risk.

To put context to this, Tighe & Bond, the Licensed Environmental Professional (LEP) retained by the Town, advised last week that “Based on the results of this sampling and in consultation with Meg Harvey, an epidemiologist with the CT Department of Health, it has been determined that the levels of detected constituents of concern allow for the continued use of the fields for athletic and recreational purposes.”

While we will proceed with remediating those sites where we see levels above the RES DEC, the consensus opinion of the Town Department of Health and the Town's Licensed Environmental Professional – in consultation with the State Department of Public Health and the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection -- is that our fields are safe for recreational use.

We have a closely coordinated effort between my office, the Health Department, the Superintendent of Schools and the Department of Parks and Recreation to manage the complex process of testing and remediation.

We have added a testing status chart  to our special webpage  so you can follow the progress we are making with testing and remediation. We have also updated our “Frequently Asked Questions” document to address questions we have received over the past month. 

I will be reporting weekly on our progress. Should you have any questions about these reports please don’t hesitate to contact the Health Department at: fillusequestions@fairfieldct.org.