By Chad Lampe
Paducah, KY – Contractors for the U.S. Department of Energy plan to release preliminary soil test results this week. More than 30 inspectors collected samples from Heath Elementary school soil Saturday. The search comes after the DOE received an affidavit stating a contractor working at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in 1980 had dumped several truck loads of dirt from the plant on school grounds. The plant processes low level radiation uranium, hazardous PCBs used in oil and electrical equipment and toxic heavy metals nickel and chromium. The Paducah Sun reports the inspectors searched nearly 75% of the school's 29 acres with radiation detectors and collected samples from 50% of the area. McCracken County School's Superintendent Tim Heller is waiting for the test results, but he will develop a plan accordingly.