End the use of Roofing-Tar at TDSB Schools during School Hours!

The Issue

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED: Last year, a roofing project at Ossington Old Orchard Public School left staff and students ill. Many more TDSB schools are to follow in the coming years. Please sign here to let the TDSB know your concerns about how this work is being done. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY WITH TDSB FAMILIES. If you are concerned about a roofing project at a TDSB school, please be in contact with us, so that we can share our resources. You can reach us at stoptheroofing@gmail.com. Please follow us on twitter at @stoproof_OOOPS or twitter.com/hashtag/stoptheroof_tdsb.

Over the next three years, the TDSB will be working on hundreds of roof projects. The TDSB received 311 contracts from the Ontario Power Authority to install solar panels on school roofs. A list of those schools is here.

During the recent work on Ossington Old Orchard Public School's (OOOPS) roof, the fumes (from the kettle of burning roof-tar) were overwhelming. Parents, students and teachers expressed very serious concern about the health risks of the chemicals being used. Students and staff experienced breathing problems, sore throats, nausea and headaches. Children were unable to return to the unsafe school environment. On May 26, OOOPS students and families held a protest, calling on the TDSB to delay the roofing work until off-hours. At OOOPS, two classrooms were relocated during the project because of fumes.

At OOOPS, the TDSB failed to take the prescribed safety precautions to reduce the exposure to burning asphalt. The TDSB's website states that kettles would be placed away from doors and windows, but, the kettle is located just outside OOOPS’ doors and fumes were easily detected inside the building. When the work started, air intake vents were not turned off. The TDSB did not enforce safety protocols recommended by Toronto Public Health. It wasn't well into the project that the air quality was tested indoors when the tarring kettle was actually turned on.

Roof tar odors cause respiratory problems, nausea and mouth sores. Fumes can irritate the respiratory tract and aggravate the condition of a person with asthma or other lung conditions. Everyone is at risk, especially Children. Asphalt (bitumen) fumes contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which is carcinogenic. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) also reports on the the risks of exposure. with students were in the school. Even information on the TDSB website includes: headaches and nausea may be experienced, but will stop within hours of being away from the fumes. From the MSDS (which was not disclosed in a timely fashion): “Inhalation of vapours or fumes can cause respiratory tract irritation or CNS depression with symptoms of nausea, headaches, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, light-headedness, reduced coordination, unconsciousness and possibly death".

At OOOPS, our communication efforts with TDSB representatives largely fell on deaf ears. Just one day’s worth of notice of the roofing project was given to OOOPS families. The TDSB has refused to disclose the results of the air quality tests. Estimates for the completion of the project varied very widely. The Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) was not immediately disclosed to OOOPS families. The TDSB refused to complete the project on a PA Day. The TDSB claimed to have never received a complaint about tarring, despite this report in 2013. The TDSB refused to meet with concerned families until after the work was completed. See this open letter for more information.

While the TDSB said that every effort would be made to do the work outside of school hours, this was not the experience at OOOPS. Despite assuances of 12-hour shifts with extra crews, there were many sunny weekdays and weekends when no there would no roof work. This meant that more work was done.

There are alternatives to asphalt roofs, including TPO "Cool" roofs, Duralast(r), Cold Applied Membranes and living roofs. From here: "The past 20 years have seen a sharp decline in the use of hot-applied low-slope roofing..."

LESSONS LEARNED OUTSIDE OF TORONTO:

For more information about a successful campaign to stop roof tarring in a Californian community: http://www.nomoretarroofs.info.

In New York State, Boards of Education are required to ensure that all school building-level renovation and construction plans, specifications, or other work in occupied facilities complies with health and safety procedures. Those procedures include pre-construction notification of at least two months. ALso from that policy: "Schools must provide a healthful, safe learning environment which promotes attendance and achievement."

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED: In the letter below, we demand that the TDSB reschedule all roofing projects at any TDSB school, for a time when children are not in school (including during the summer, after school or on weekends). If you have concerns about the potential health risks please, sign this letter and/or contact the following people directly to voice your concerns:

Donna Quan (TDSB - Director of Education) - donna.quan@tdsb.on.ca

Curtis Ennis (TDSB Superintendent) - curtis.ennis@tdsb.on.ca

Briony Glassco (TDSB Trustee) Briony.Glassco@tdsb.on.ca

Mike Layton (City Councillor- Trinity Spadina) - councillor_layton@toronto.ca

Han Dong (MPP Trinity-Spadina) - hdong.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Cristina Martins (MPP Davenport) - cmartins.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Hon. Liz Sandals (Minister of Education) - minister.edu@ontario.ca

Dr Howard Shapiro (Toronto Public Health) hshapir@toronto.ca

RESOURCES:

http://globalnews.ca/news/1353700/parents-concerned-roof-repairs-at-toronto-school-making-students-sick/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/05/26/parents_pull_kids_from_class_over_asphalt_fumes.html

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/parents-protest-roofing-repairs-during-school-hours-1.1838531