In this nursery school in Mayenne, radon has been eradicated, the staff and the children are radiant

Radon has been eradicated from the three kindergarten classes at the Gérard Philippe school in Laval. The building was exposed at a rate 7 times higher than normal and this colorless, odorless gas is recognized as a carcinogen. The construction site, to bring everything up to standard, is complete.

Studies had shown an absolutely terrifying concentration of radon in the classrooms and the dormitory, for the siesta of the little ones: 2240 becquerels per cubic meter, that’s the measure of radioactivity. Beyond an exposure of 300 becquerels, it is considered harmful.

The work lasted 16 months to eradicate radon thanks to an ultra-powerful ventilation system which flattens the gas on the ground before expelling it. During the upgrading operations, the children were educated in another establishment, nearby. Amandine Simon, the director of the Gérard Philippe school, is relieved: “We are going to share projects and a daily life together again. The state of mind has always remained positive. We are very happy to be back at our school”.

Another satisfaction for the staff who went through two very complicated years with radon and the Covid: no parent has decided to send his or her little ones to other schools in the city. Despite the daily difficulties, all the families remained faithful.