Radioactive waste has been found at a primary school that was once used to produce nuclear weapons during World War Two.

The "unacceptable" levels of radioactive contamination were found at Jana Elementary School in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, US.

A report from the Boston Chemical Data Corporation studied samples obtained in August from the school 's playgrounds, classrooms, kitchen, library and fields.

The levels of lead-210 - a radioactive lead isotope - were "more than 22 times the expected background" in the kindergarten playground, while levels in the soil near the school's basketball courts were "more than 12 times" the expected amount.

Lead exposure can be harmful, especially to young children who absorb more than adults due to their growth, and even small amounts can lead to serious health problems.

Lead exposure can be harmful, especially to young children (file photo) (
Image:
Getty Images/Westend61)

The report said: "The most outstanding result of August 2022 testing at the Jana school was that levels of the radioactive isotope lead-210 found on school grounds were entirely unacceptable."

The school is bordered on two sides by the "heavily contaminated" Coldwater Creek, and is subject to flooding from the waterway.

The creek became contaminated from waste dating back to the creation of the first atomic bomb in the 1940s, affecting nearby properties as well as the school.

Marco Kaltofen, the author of the study, told CNN : "This waterway has been contaminated by leaking radioactive wastes from disposal that began shortly after World War II and is not yet cleaned up.

The levels of lead-210 - a radioactive lead isotope - were "more than 22 times the expected background" in the kindergarten playground (
Image:
Getty Images/fStop)

“The wastes in the creek come from residues of the Manhattan Engineering District Project. Many properties in this area get tested with some regularity.

"Unfortunately, when Coldwater Creek floods its banks, some of that radioactive material is deposited on neighboring land, such as the school."

The report concluded that remedial measures are needed to reduce radioactive exposure at the school

It said: "Indoor dusts (in the gym and boiler room) at the Jana School were found to contain radioactive particulate matter with percent-concentrations of radioactive thorium, an alpha-emitting radioactive contaminant.

A school board meeting is set to take place on Tuesday evening (file photo) (
Image:
Getty Images)

"These thorium concentrations for dust at the Jana School were among the highest found in the North St. Louis County area.

"Remedial measures are appropriate to reduce exposures to radioactive materials for users of the school building and grounds but are complicated by the potential for recontamination due to flooding of the contaminated Coldwater Creek."

A school board meeting is set to take place on Tuesday evening.

In a statement on Friday, the school district said it is seeking guidance on its next steps.

A spokesperson said: “Safety is always our top priority, and we are actively discussing the implications of the findings.

"The Board of Education will be consulting with attorneys and experts in this area of testing to determine next steps.”

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