Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 9, 2003

Metrobus operators to be tested who drove the bus identified as having mercury on it carried by the Ballou SHS student

Metro officials today announced that all tests came back negative on the shoes and clothing of several Metro employees who worked on a bus that had been tainted with mercury from a Ballou Senior High School student last week.

Additionally, Metro has identified seven bus operators who drove bus #2223 from Thursday, October 2, at approximately 3:30 p.m., through Tuesday, October 7, at approximately 7:00 p.m. when this bus was pulled from service. Bus #2223 was identified as the one the Ballou SHS student boarded. The Southern Annex garage where this bus was located also tested negative.

" Metrobus riders need not be alarmed," said Dr. Michael Richardson, Chief Medical Officer for the D.C. Department of Health. " Elemental mercury is not readily absorbed into the body, and the levels found in the buses would not represent any significant risk to riders getting on and off the bus."

Typically, low-level exposure to elemental mercury leads to no symptoms and treatment is not needed.

" The D.C. Department of Health requested that we send the operators for blood mercury testing to aid them in their public health outreach effort,’stated Fred Goodine, Assistant General Manager for Safety and Risk Management.

Addendum:

Bus 2223 operated on the following routes on the dates below:

Thursday, October 2, 2003 W4, Deanwood-Alabama Avenue Line Friday, October 3, 2003 D12, D13, Southern Avenue-Suitland Line D14, Camp Springs-Suitland Line 90 and 92, U Street-Garfield Line W17, Southern Avenue-Accokeek Line

Monday, October 6, 2003 C14, P17, Farragut Square-Fort Washington Line W13, 17th and H Streets, NW-Fort Washington

Tuesday, October 7, 2003 A2 and A6, Anacostia-Congress Heights Line D12, Southern Avenue-Suitland Line D14, Camp Springs-Suitland Line P17, Farragut Square-Fort Washington Line W13, 17th and H Streets, NW-Fort Washington Line

News release issued on October 9, 2003.