Parents were “extremely worried” last night after high levels of a radioactive gas were discovered in five Highland schools.
Inspectors found radon gas above trigger levels at both Glen Urquhart High and its feeder primary in Drumnadrochit, Kilchuimen Academy and primary shared campus in Fort Augustus, Helmsdale Primary and Halkirk Primary.
Highland Council has been ordered to reduce the presence of the naturally occurring gas, which is known to cause lung cancer, by UK radon experts Public Health England (PHE).
The council’s environmental health manager, Alan Yates, said newer PHE maps produced in 2011 identified new areas in Highland which might be at risk. Concerned parents yesterday called for a speedy response to the situation and questioned why the council had not discovered the substance previously.
Glen Urquhart High parent council chairwoman Morag Menzies said: “It’s extremely worrying and I hope that no harm has come to any pupil or any staff working in the building but it is a relief that the problem has been discovered and Highland Council is now monitoring the situation and dealing with the problem.”
A worried parent with two daughters at the same school said he tested for radon when moving to a new house between Cannich and Drumnadrochit four years ago as it is a known problem in the area.
He said: “The council says it’s nothing to worry about but you don’t really know if it’s nothing to worry about or not. I’m concerned how it’s affecting them because the school was built around a decade ago so that is a long time.
“The council’s advice is that the health risks arise after significant long term exposure to the gas over many years but I’d like to know what ‘many years’ means.
“The council should have done a lot more before they built the school. The job to do now is to get the experts in ASAP so they can provide the results of the consultation, decide what needs to be done and put it into action.”
Mr Yates said: “We have no information what the levels would have been in these parts because the maps didn’t identify them before. I understand the concerns but the advice from NHS Highland and PHE is that the health risks are very, very low especially when compared to smoking and things like that.
“The health professionals said that very long term exposures at very high levels are needed to increase the health risks. They are quite happy for schools to remain open.”
Director of education Hugh Fraser, said: “The council will take action to ensure the radon levels in these schools are reduced below the legal limits. We have been advised that the risks to staff and pupils are very low.” NHS Highland consultant in public health medicine, Dr Ken Oates, said: “The increased risk to pupils or staff of developing lung cancer, caused by exposure to radon while at school, is very low indeed.”